Center Stage
by Quirkyalice
Summary: Edward and Rosalie end up in an old, desolate theatre. What will happen when danger emerges, in the form of the Volturi? There is more to this than it seems, let the story unfold...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer.

Beta: McVampy (love you darling!)

Shoutouts: Litnerd, Dreaming in black and white, Heatherxdawn and my wifey, xparawhorextwerdx

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I was ushered into the box seat of the theatre with my sister Rosalie. I couldn't tell you how I came to be here, in the old theatre with its Victorian decor. The floors were covered in thin, red carpet. The seats were wooden, mahogany, giving the feel of church pews. The banisters and railings a dirty white porcelain. Various pictures coated the walls, to a human eye, they would be difficult to see from such a distance, but I memorised each detail with ease. I was brought out of my delirium when I felt the warm touch of my sister's hand against my own. It was strange how it felt so. To a human, a vampiric touch would be extremely cold, and, to a vampire a human touch extremely warm. I averted my gaze to my sister, who squeezed my hand lightly in reassurance. I felt my lips curl into a half grin as I gazed at her topaz eyes. Rosalie was beautiful, but not in a way that attracted me to her. Once upon a time, it was thought that both Rosalie and I would become mates, but we were too different. At times, Rosalie could be extremely vain and self-centred, and it irked me. She seemed to despise me for rejecting her at first, it wasn't something she was used to. As a human, she was beautiful, and becoming a vampire only heightened this, making her incapacitatingly so. My rejection came as an extreme shock.

None of this mattered now, she had Emmett for that type of love. The love we felt for each other was that of brother and sister, and it couldn't have been more apparent than it was at this very moment. I held tightly to her hand as the lights in the theatre dimmed. It seemed extremely eerie, and all thought around me was reduced to a distant hum, all apart from Rosalie's. She was as confused as I was. We both had no idea what we were doing in this old, desolate building. Where was Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Alice or Jasper? Why was it just us two in this vunerable, unguarded state?

Suddenly, the red velvet of the stage curtain rose, it wavered slightly as it was tugged upwards, giving the illusion that it was a stream, or flow, of brilliant red blood. I cringed slightly at the thought and felt Rosalie's hand tighten in my own. If she had a pulse, I would be certain that her heart would be racing frantically, that I would feel the pulse beating against her wrist. She was, however, breathing erratically, a trait ingrained in her from living around humans for so long. Breathing, although we didn't need it, was second nature to us. I listened to the air being drawn in and out of her nostrils as I watched the curtain make its final assent. The small, rhythmic beating of a tambourine started to pulse throughout my body. It was followed by that of a violin, then a flute. The melody of the music seeming to wrap around my senses, like an invisible rope of ribbon, constricting, getting tighter, I was unable to move or think clearly.

The lights suddenly brightened and the wooden platform, which made up the stage, was now decorated. It seemed like the stage of a children's play, maybe something like "Little Red Riding Hood." The mural behind was that of a forest, with painted, cardboard cutouts of trees placed further forward, so the actors could hide behind them, or move through them as if in a real forest. The only undecorated part was the floor, which was wooden, the same rich texture of that of the walls. The grains of wood so distinct that even a human would notice them.

The hum of music stopped abruptly and the invisible ribbon unfurled, bringing me a moment of relief. Rosalie was now leaning forward in her seat, both of her hands curled lightly around the banister of the box. I turned my attention back to the stage. In the centre stood a dark figure, a black cloak stretched from the figure's shoulders to the floor, where it created a light breezing sound as the figure took a step forward. Two white arms peered from beneath the cloak and lifted the fabric from his head. I say _his_, because the being was male. I took a sharp intake of breath as I began to realise who this was. The papery, translucent skin, showing each and every blue tinge of vein, the sunken hollows around his eyes, the clouded, milky red of his irises. Then there was his hair. Black and silky and reaching his shoulders in a flowing line. Aro. I had seen his face in three places. One in Carlisle's office on a painting, one in Carlisle's mind, from his time spent in Volterra, and once when I visited Volterra myself, in which to try and end my existence.

The mere thought of my existence took me down the route I had hoped not to think about in this strange parallel universe. Bella. _My _Bella. She was in Forks with Charlie right now, whilst I was in Paris. I missed her, I missed her touch, her freesia and strawberry scent, I missed her laugh, I missed everything about her, except the blood lust. That was the one part of me I despised, the fact that every moment we are together, there is a small part of me that wants to kill her. However, I've never been more in control of that side of my nature as I am now. The thought of losing Bella was enough to drive the monster deep inside me, locked away.

I shook my head and returned my gaze to the stage. Standing next to Aro were his two brothers--Marcus, looking utterly bored, and Caius, with his snowy white, shoulder length hair and sour expression. It seemed surreal to see them here and not in Volterra. There were no thrones, and seemingly, no guards.

I spoke too soon. The rows beneath lit up in a warm, orange glow. My senses were still clouded so I didn't realise the beings sat beneath the three brothers. I glanced at each face. Jane, smiling like an angel despite her demonic features, Demetri, staring intently at Aro, and Felix, smirking in his arrogance, his cockiness. I wondered where the rest of the Volturi guard were, but they must have remained in Volterra, or be elsewhere, dealing with the law breakers of our world. I tried to relax upon realising that, if both Rosalie and I were in danger, we would be able to escape. There were more exits here, and although Jane and Demetri were talented enough to attack and track, they would not be able to move as fast as we could. They were not as intelligent, as cunning, despite being part of the most powerful family in existence.

Immediately, my body tensed as Aro began to speak. He clapped his hands together excitedly as he did so. "I would like to take the opportunity to thank Edward and Rosalie for joining us this evening," he said. His wry smile seemed to be stuck to his features. He inclined his head in our direction and I felt a low growl erupt from my chest. Rosalie's hand found mine and she squeezed tightly again. The drug-like effect that had held me for the last twenty minutes had now passed. I could see every thought in Aro's mind, and at last, I knew why I was here. Aro had threatened to take a member of our family as punishment for bringing Bella into our world. This seemed hypocritical, seeing as Gianna, the receptionist at Volterra, was indeed human. Of course Aro argued that, unless Bella was to be changed, she would die. We had agreed to change her, but Aro saw my hesitancy. Until Bella was changed, he wanted to take Alice. A temporary loan to ease his mind. Of course we disagreed to this, and so now Aro had both Rosalie and me in this strange theatre, about to watch some sort of show. None of this made sense.

I tried to gather clues from the minds around me, but the Volturi guards and the brothers themselves were blocking me from gaining the knowledge that I sought. The only voice I could hear was Rosalie's. Confusion and fear was etched into her thoughts. I swallowed back the venom pooling in my mouth and sat motionless in the chair beneath me. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. The orange glow of lights from the audience seats had now vanished, and the lighting of the stage became extremely bright. I glanced in shock at the sight below me. I wanted to scream, but no sound would emanate from me. I wanted to move, but my body was still reeling in shock. Rosalie's hand was crushing against my own now, her eyes wide in horror, black due to the terror and confusion we both felt. Standing in the middle of the stage, surrounded by the three Volturi brothers, was Bella. _My_ Bella.

I looked closely at her features. Tears were flowing effortlessly down her cheeks, her eyes sunken and red through sleep deprivation. She was trembling in fright. She seemed completely oblivious to her surroundings as Aro closed in upon her. I heard her inaudible whispers, begging for him not to hurt her. I felt every syllable as she begged him to let her live. "Bella, child, how fair would it be to let you live when others do not get to choose whether they are to live or die? Fate chooses this moment for you. Why not die now, whilst you are youthful and not old and decrepitt?" Aro's voice seemed to pierce my heart and I heard the faint whimpers coming from Bella. "Would you rather I killed someone else Bella? Would you like to choose who should die in your place?" Aro seemed to be enjoying this psychological torture. "No!" Bella screamed, her voice cracking into sobs.

"Very well," spoke Aro as he took Bella's wrist. He caressed it delicately with his nose, an action I had named, smelling the bouquet yet resisting the wine. I doubted this is what Aro had in mind. He kissed the back of her hand, then turned her hand over, before plunging his teeth into the skin. A soft whimper erupted from Bella, her fatigue taking over, her strength drained. Then everything fadedto black.

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A/N : Tell me what you thought of the first installment. R and R babes xxxxxxx


	2. Chapter 2 Ire

Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer.

Beta: McVampy (love you darling!)

Shoutouts: Litnerd, Dreaming in black and white, Heatherxdawn and my wifey, xparawhorextwerdx. Also, thankyou to everyone who reviewed chapter one and to anyone who read it.

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Chapter 2 - Ire

"Esme, Edward, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, Alice," Carlisle's voice broke through my thoughts as I watched Bella sleep peacefully on the large bed in the centre of my room. Her head was propped delicately onto one of the white pillows, her chocolate tresses seemed to spread, like roots, to the other pillow, and cascade over her shoulders as she slept. It was just reaching five in the morning, and Bella had only muttered once since she fell into unconsciousness. Her breathing was shallow and occasionally, as she slept, her eyebrow would twitch, or her mouth would change shape, my favourite was when her lips formed a small 'o' shape. It was cute, but also enthralling. It made me want to wake her up just so I could kiss her smooth, warm lips. I was quite the masochist. Wanting to kiss her, yet being so close increases her intoxicating smell making me want to push those boundaries I had created purposely. I could never be careless around Bella, just one slip and I could crush her skull. Bella was careless enough for the both of us. I had to maintain the control.I wondered whether to wake her, but decided against it. Carlisle would have also called Bella's name, as she was as much part of this family as any of us. I would have also heard him through his thoughts, which were extremely guarded tonight. I stood up in a fluid motion and walked over to the bed where my sleeping beauty dreamt. I placed a chaste kiss on her forehead and ran a delicate hand along her chin, savouring the strawberry scent of her hair before I left the room, unwillingly.

The family, minus Bella, Emmett and Rosalie, sat in the living room. Carlisle held Esme's hand between both of his as he looked in my direction. His expression was warm, but his liquid gold eyes emitted worry. I also noticed his shoulders were slightly tensed in comparison to his usual body language.

Jasper sat next to Alice, both were staring into each other's eyes in a private embrace. I tended to block out their thoughts when they were like this. I tried to be a gentleman, giving their thoughts privacy. However, by looking at Jasper's body language, I could see that whatever emotion coming from Carlisle's seemingly calm form, was not a good one. I allowed myself to look into Jasper's thoughts. Why is Carlisle so worried? In all the time I've known him he has never reacted like this, except when Edward tried to...I cut away from his thoughts and tried to enter Alice's. _Uno, dos tres, quatro, cinco, seis_... I was getting nowhere with Alice. She must already know what this meeting is about, or was the one to cause it.

I was broken away from my thoughts as Rosalie and Emmett walked into the living room. Both perched on the edges of the sofa. Emmett was beside Jasper and Rosalie next to Alice. Alice and Rosalie exchanged warm glances and then averted their attention to Carlisle. I, on the other hand, was giving Emmett dirty looks as he tried to throw sexually explicit mental images in my direction. Each time I was caught off guard, I winced. Luckily, Rosalie had noticed, and before a human could blink, I heard a *smack* sound. It wouldn't surprise me if Rosalie had caused bruising to Emmett's head. Luckily, with a little encouragement, Emmett had stopped and was now just grinning like a fool.I remained by the doorway with my arms folded across my chest when Carlisle began to speak. "Bella should be here," he said. I gave a look of astonishment and raised my eyebrows. "Oh, I didn't call her, it must have slipped my mind." This wasn't like Carlisle, nothing ever caused him to forget anything. It must be big. "We'll just continue without her for now," he stated nonchalantly.

"Alice had a vision around five minutes ago, and it seems that the future of the Cullen family is bleak. Alice, would you continue?" Carlisle nodded towards Alice and he rubbed his face with his hands, a sign that he was under stress. "Well, to put it simply, the Volturi have decided that they are sick of being played like fools by us, or so they say. They want to make a swap. They want to take me away until Bella has been changed, as a sort of reassurance that she will be changed." Alice's expression looked pained. She had finally opened up her mind and I could see clearly that Aro and Caius had argued over Bella's fate. Caius wanted to kill her immediately because of the 'threat' she posed. Aro had other ideas, involving the addition of a particular talent to his collection, like another saucer to his tea set. He wanted Alice, and knowing his nature, he wouldn't be giving her back.

"There has to be another way," I almost growled as I moved further into the room. "Well, I had-" Alice's eyes glazed over for a split second before she looked back at me. "They're coming, twenty minutes maximum. I couldn't see any earlier as they apparently have a dog with them." My nose wrinkled in disgust at the thought. I still had a secret vendetta against Jacob Black, call it jealousy if you must. I was grateful for him saving her life and at least keeping her in one piece when I could not. I don't know why the mere mention of a werewolf made me think immediately of Jacob Black, there was no way they would bring a member of the Quilette pack, and if they did, Alice would've known sooner on their imminent approach.

"How many?" Carlisle asked, seeming to have composed himself in the time Alice had spoken. "Four. Aro, Caius, Jane and Demetri." That seemed to soothe me somehow. There were seven of us to their four. Even with Jane's added 'party trick' I felt confident they would not be here to fight, but more to 'negotiate' the terms of our agreement. "Bella?" I asked suddenly. "Leave her be, she is safer asleep." Carlisle reasoned. I nodded and followed the six vampires out of the house. Once we were outside, we all set off at a run to the clearing which was all too familiar. I, being the fastest, reached the edges of the clearing first.

We all formed a tight group. Carlisle and I were the furthest forward, seeing as Carlisle was Aro's old 'friend' and I had recently met him. Alice also wanted to be on the front line, but it eased Jasper to have her safely behind him. It also eased the rest of us. Not only was Jasper shooting waves of terror left, right and centre, but Alice had a mouth on her, which could've resulted in a very irate Jane. Moments later, the four Volturi members had emerged through the other side of the forest. There was no werewolf with them now, which explained how Alice caught the tail end of the vision. I could see into Jane's mind, and she was repeating the same name over and over. _Bella, Bella, Bella_... Aro stepped forward, with Jane by his side. "Ah, Carlisle, my old friend," Aro reached for Carlisle's hand but Carlisle dismissed it. "We know why you're here Aro, and it isn't a social visit, so let's just cut to the chase." I had never heard Carlisle sound so hostile. It seemed to not only to shock the rest of our family, but also the Volturi. He really cared for everyone in our family.

Esme came to stand next to Carlisle supportively and Rosalie stood next to me on the right. Emmett stood next to Rosalie and made the point of cracking his knuckles in anticipation. I inwardly rolled my eyes and listened to every thought process going through Aro's head. _Alice, Jasper, Bella, Edward, kidnap, torture, kill, change..._It was strange. None of his thoughts made sense, he was just throwing random words at me, although they mustn't be so random if they involved our family. He couldn't kidnap any of us, could he? I didn't think so. Torture? Kill? Wait..._change_

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A/N : Tell me what you thought of the second chapter. We sort of went backwards with this one, but patience darlings. R and R babes xxxxxxx


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Steph, or as she is now called, Stephenie Meyer (yes, I was reading her little author notes in the Twilight books...)

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, read and generally shown interest in the story, this is another filler, don't worry, we are getting there...slow and steady wins the race...

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Chapter 3 - Undecided

He could change Bella. He could damn her to live an eternity as a vampire; a monster. She would feel the constant hunger for blood, the thirst, the pain. Worse yet, she would enjoy it.

I tried to imagine Bella would be different, but all the newborns I had been in contact with were the same. Emmett, Rosalie, Esme...they had all been almost uncontrollable. But that was the word, _almost_. They had gotten through the crazed blood lust, they had fought with their out of control emotions. With our help and support, they had won over their natures. Even Jasper, the newest to our regime, was yet to fall off the bandwagon, so to speak.

So, even if Bella could control herself, could live off animal blood and blend into the human world with us, what about her soul? I would be destroying her soul. I would be ridding her of her humanity. After all she had given back to me, I couldn't take that away from her, or even allow anyone else to do such a thing.

Carlisle believed differently, but he was the eternal optimist. How could he believe that we, the children of satan, retain our souls? No. As soon as we are infected with the elixir of death, our souls are damned to the very depths of hell. I found it hard to believe Carlisle had no soul, or Esme. They were so loving and compassionate, yet these may have been their powers. In life they were as such, and in death this had been heightened.

I couldn't shake the images of the newborns Victoria had raised. Completely out of control and unmanagable. I cringed at the thought of Bella becoming one of them.

My decision was made. I would not allow Bella to be changed. Although I was a selfish creature, and wanted Bella to live with me for eternity, I couldn't do it. I was completely selfless around her. She came before anything.

"We, my brothers and I, have come to the conclusion that we cannot trust your family Carlisle. It pains me incredibly to say it, but we have reason to believe that Bella will not be changed. It leaves us but one option, old friend." Aro's voice felt like sandpaper against my senses and his words ignited fury wthin me. I felt a low growl rumble from my chest and Aro turned to face me, a smile still playing against his thin lips.

"Of course, our reasons come from your son, Carlisle. You see, whilst in Volterra, I gained quite an insight into his mind and, I find it quite impossible that he would allow for Bella to be changed."

"What about my vision?" Alice stepped forward to face Aro. She looked intimidating, but it was almost laughable that she would challenge him. "Yes, well, as you said young one, visions are subject to change, and you have made a few mistakes..."

"Not with this one!" Alice's voice raised and her thoughts were filled with profanity. She was also trying to find the best way to dismember the sentient creature before her. Jasper reached for his wife and took both her hands. They seemed to be having yet another intimate moment and I turned to face Jane. _Alice, Bella, Alice, Bella..._her thoughts had taken a slight turn in direction. She was making a hit list in her mind.

My hands balled into tight fists which would have reduced diamond to dust. I clenched my jaw and tried to block Jane out of my mind. If I did anything to provoke her, I would be incapacitated before I could blink.

"Don't get me wrong, young Alice, I think your talent is superb. I just find it difficult to comprehend that Bella would become a vampire. You see, I know how opposed to the idea Edward is, and I know how much he loves her, I also know a few of his escape ideas. He did prevent me from seeing into his mind, but as he formed these ideas, I did see them through dear Alice." Carlisle held onto my left shoulder as I tensed further. _Not now son, we don't need to give them a reason to dismember you right now_. I nodded once to my father. I was used to these one sided conversations with him, and I would not disappoint him. For now.

"Really, Edward, hide Bella? You do realise that Demetri can track you and anyone but Bella? Not to mention her scent. There are some very accomplished trackers in the guard, who, would find her. Even if we couldn't, there is always the family. I could pick the information from your minds, or I could torture it out of you," Aro was speaking in a friendly tone, despite his words. At the word torture, Jane's thoughts switched to images of Alice writhing on the ground and screaming. I cringed and Jane seemed to pick up on this. Her images became more violent and her smirk grew, lighting up her eyes as she feasted on my emotional pain.

Aro became aware of this. "Jane dear, stop attacking Edward for a moment, we are trying to come to some sort of compromise." He smiled at Jane and touched her shoulder. "Yes master." Jane bowed and stepped back slightly. "I merely need some reassurance that Bella will be changed sooner rather than later. We may live an eternity, but there are other matters needed to be attended to, and, to be quite frank, I'm becoming increasingly impatient.

"My brothers and I would like to take a member of the family to ensure Bella will be changed. I would hate to forget about her, I'm growing senial in my old age." Aro chuckled at his personal joke. It was sick. We knew he wasn't to age, and we also knew he had the memory of a vampire. Nothing could be forgotten. If I was human, the bile would be rising in my throat. Caius stepped forward now and Aro took his hand. There was a short silence before he spoke again.

"Now then, let us, as you say in English, cut to the chase. We would like to take Alice with us and then return her once Bella has bright red eyes and a ghostly palour." Jasper growled and crouched in front of his wife. "If you want her, you go through me." His snarls grew louder and he looked completely feril. Jasper was more of a threat than any of us in his appearance. He was covered in scars, which showed that he was an accomplished fighter. The Volturi would want him as there own, or would want him destroyed as to rid of the threat his posed to them.

"You want Jasper, you go through me," Emmett boomed and stood next to his brother. "And me," added Rosalie, she walked at a human pace to stand beside her mate, her blonde hair cascading down her shoulders and her red blouse and denim miniskirt leaving nothing to the imagination. I took a glance at Demetri who was ogling her. I rolled my eyes.

Aro clapped his hands together in delight. "Well, well! Such a close-knit family! I would love to take you all into my guard of course..."

"You will not take any of my children you vile piece of s-"

"Esme!" Shouted Carlisle to drown out her cursing. Esme stopped speaking, but she never removed herself from her defensive pose in front of everyone, even when Carlisle placed his hand gently on her shoulder. She was looking directly into Aro's eyes.

"Very well." Spoke Aro, seemingly amused by the predicament. "We shall return again soon. It seems we have much to discuss," _Mainly about how to seperate you as a family_, "But never the less, we shall return and see that Bella is changed, or dead. Death would be such a waste though, don't you think?" He turned to face me in particular. The fire-induced haze that had been gradually growing since I sensed them moving through the forest, sent me over the edge and I lunged for Aro.

Before I could reach him, however, I was on the floor and being sent into spasms of pain, spasms of searing pain. I wanted to cry out but I wouldn't show weakness in front of Aro, or give Jane the satisfaction of hearing my screams.

"Enough," Carlisle stepped forward and Aro touched Jane lightly on the shoulder. The pain immediately deadened and I stood and moved over to Esme at once. "We shall see you soon Carlisle, very soon." Aro and Caius glided away first, their long cloaks seeming to give the impression that they were flying, they were followed by Jane and Demetri who passed menacing glances back towards us.

"Edward, you should get back to the house, Bella should be awake soon." Carlisle muttered quickly. I set off at an increasing speed to reach to house before Bella woke and found us gone. I also wanted to make sure she was OK. A stupid reaction maybe, seeing as she was nowhere near the danger.

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A/N: AHAHAHA! Sorry, I thought this was hilarious, in my sick sort of way xD

Drop me a line and review xD

I have cookies....


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: All thinks Twilight belong to SM.

Just want to shout out to xparawhorextwerdx - this is dedicated to you. Also, thankyou to everyone who has shown interest in the story so far. And I love the ladies on Twilighted(dot)net.

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Chapter 4 - Missing

Something wasn't right. I could feel it. I opened the front door of the house and walked into the hallway at a human walking pace. Each step felt like a new hole to my undead heart, it caused my ears to ring and venom was beginning to coat my teeth involuntarily. Looking around, everything seemed completely ordinary, there were no scents of other vampires except that of the family, so I had nothing to worry about. My instincts were becoming clouded by my overprotective nature when it came to Bella.

I could hear the others reaching the drive now, but I felt impatient. I hurried up the staircase and stopped outside my bedroom. I could smell wet dog. At first, I thought of the La Push wolves, but only Seth and Jacob had been in the house, and neither of them had ventured upstairs. If I could, I would now be sweating and my heart would be erratic..._heart._ I couldn't hear Bella's heart beating! Her heartbeat was like my own personal orchestra, yet another reason I didn't want her changed.

I turned the door handle and opened the door swiftly, it crashed into the opposite wall, chipping the plaster and splintering the wood of the door, I was poised, ready to attack. The first thing I noticed, was that Bella was missing. I launched myself at the bed and ripped the frame in half. I was about to continue when Alice ran straight into the room and launched her small frame at me. She spoke no words, but instead, she gave me her thoughts. _Stop, stop, stop. They have taken her._

"Then we must go and get her back!" I shouted in rage, still snarling. Emmett and Jasper each moved swiftly to my side and placed a hand on my shoulder. I was planning to snap off their arms and leap out of the window when Carlisle entered. He spoke aloud for everyone's benefit.

"Edward, you cannot help Bella in your state, you need to calm down or you will get yourself killed. Aro planned for this to happen, he would love to have a definite reason to reduce our family. It seems that he has also managed to get past Alice's visions by making split-second decisions and using a wolf."

"How did he get a wolf?" asked Emmett. I could see him planning to obtain his own _pet_ wolf in his mind. _He definitely has a few screws loose, _I thought.

"We have yet to find out. We are at a disadvantage now that Alice cannot see Bella, but we will get her home safely." I could see the worried expression on Carlisle's usually calm features. He was blocking his thoughts from me, but that didn't stop me from realising what he thought. It was a long shot, and he knew it.

I sunk to the ground. It was one thing for me to die trying to save Bella, but it was entirely different for the rest of the family to die for my selfishness, yet I expected it. The ball was in Aro's hands, and there was nothing we could do about it.

"What can we do, Carlisle?" I asked desperately. "We wait," he replied simply, then left the room with his wife.

The rest of the night was monotonous. Carlisle paced his study anxiously; Esme rushed around cleaning anything that merely had a speck of dust on it; Jasper was curled up next to Alice on the loveseat, both of which were trying to control their emotions, and Alice was also trying to get some sort of 'signal' to Bella; Rosalie and Emmett had left the house; and I stayed in my room, combing through everything and anything that could lead me to Bella. I was also keeping a vigilant eye on Alice's thoughts.

"Edward!" Alice shouted suddenly the following morning. I was in the living area before a human could blink. It seemed that every other Cullen was situated in the the room also. Rosalie and Emmett had returned and were anxiously sitting next to Esme.

"It's Bella! I've seen Bella!" I moved closer to my sister and tried to pry open her thoughts, but she wouldn't let me in. She shook her head, "No Edward, let me explain." I retreated and sat on the floor by the coffee table. I now noticed that all eyes were trained to Alice, and she looked slightly bewildered.

"I can't see Aro, Caius or Marcus, at all. They must have the dog with them. I keep getting snippets of Bella though, but never her surroundings, just her face. She looks terrified." I stood up and started walking aimlessly towards the front door. "Edward," Carlisle's voice seemed to root me to the ground. I slowly turned to face my father, his eyes bore into mine and I bowed my head in submission.

"Wait! I have something!" Alice stood excitedly and was holding my hand before the words had left her mouth. I looked into her mind and saw Bella's face. Her cheeks were stained with tears and her brown eyes looked almost empty. I wondered what had been done to my angel. I felt a growl erupt from my chest, but Alice placed her hand on my cheek.

This time, I didn't see Bella, but I saw a cell. It was completely made of stone, stone walls, stone ground. The windows and gate were iron railings. Stood outside the iron railings were three guard members. Jane, Alec and Felix.

It made sense. Jane could incapacitate any of us in a second, Alec could render us senseless, and Felix was one of their best fighters. They needed no one else. But stone? A vampire could escape through stone or iron, but then again, Bella was no vampire.

By the time I had returned from my thoughts, the family had been informed of the situation.

Alice had gone into 'Alice' mode whilst Jasper was going through ideas in his mind. "They must all be in Volterra, there is no way Bella would be left so unguarded when Aro knows there are seven vampires who would fight to get Bella back. Demetri is also going to be tracking us. He will alert the others before we even left Forks." Alice was still pacing after she had finished speaking.

"Well, it's obvious then, we kill Demetri then head for Volterra." Jasper spoke as Emmett cracked his knuckles. Carlisle stood, "I think I should inform the LA Push pack." He left the room then.

I was becoming impatient by the prospect of getting Bella home, "Well what are we waiting for? Let's kill Demetri and get to Bella!"

"Not you Edward," Spoke Alice seriously. "If you go, your future looks bleak. I think Jasper and Emmett should deal with Demetri and C--"

Alice seemed to lose herself for a second before she spoke again, "They have come to a new arrangement."

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A/N: I had to stop it there xD ahaha!

R&R = teasers xD


	5. Chapter 5 Max

Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to le great Stephenie Meyer.

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Chapter 5 - Max

**BPOV**

Climbing into bed, I felt restless, I didn't want to sleep, but, being with Edward, I never did want to waste a second of our time together. In the space of a mere heartbeat, I was soon wrapped in the cocoon of the bed sheet and facing the ethereal beauty that was Edward. My heart was racing frenetically. as it always did in his presence.

"You'd think my reactions would have mollified by now, I should be desensitized or immune to your charm."

"I hope that never happens Bella, I love the sound of your heart, it beats for the both of us." My heart was spluttering again and I felt the blush creep to the surface of my skin. I aways felt that his words had a double meaning. "And that colour is most appealing," he spoke softly as he brushed the fingers of his left hand from my ear to my jaw. The chill of his skin left a burn as his fingers caressed various parts of my face; my nose; my lips. There was the burn of the chill on the surface of my skin, but deeper was the burn of desire. As soon as he was no longer touching my face, it hurt. Not in the physical sense, but emotionally, I never wanted to lose this contact.

I felt his strong arms wrap around the bed cover and his chin rested on my hair. As soon as the soft melody of my lullaby began to escape his throat, I knew I didn't have long. It was soporific--his voice as he sung my lullaby. The last words I heard before I fell into unconsciousness were, "Sleep well, Bella, my love."

I opened my eyes slightly as the sun crept in through Edward's open window. The white sheets surrounding me were indeed blinding, so I squinted as I sat up and stretched.

I expected Edward to walk into the room instantaneously, as he always did when I woke, but something wasn't right. I managed to shuffle myself free of the tangled covers and I pulled on a pair of faded jeans and a jumper. Back in Phoenix, I wouldn't have immediately headed for a jumper, but this was Forks.

I expected Edward to be waiting on the opposite side of the door as I changed, but when I walked closer and opened it, he wasn't there. "Edward!" I shouted, which was silly. If Edward was here, he would've heard a feather drop to the ground. "Esme?" I spoke softly now, I was slightly anxious. My brain must be screwed on backwards, I was worried when the vampires were not here, but completely content when they were.

I was about to leave the room when I heard a muffled sound behind me. Before I had the chance to turn my head, I was being restrained by a man. I kicked and pulled to try and release my body from his vice-like grip, but nothing would work. I was growing hotter through my struggles. Wait. It was the man who was hot, his skin was burning, he smelt woodsy and was over a foot taller than I was. I couldn't see his face, but I knew what he was.

My immediate thoughts went to La Push. Why would they kidnap me from the Cullen's? Was this Jake's idea? Most probably.

"Quil? Embry? Paul?" It could be anyone. I waited for a response, but didn't receive one. It was a few minutes before I realised we were moving through the forest. I was now hoisted over the shoulder of my captor, and I could see the Cullen mansion disapparating into the distance.

A million thoughts were running through my mind, trying to make sense of the entire fiasco. Idea one--the wolves had the Cullens and were taking me to them. But why would the wolves have the Cullens in the first place? Did Jasper accidently take a snap at someone who was from the reservation? Did someone step over the border?

Idea two--I was being kidnapped by the La Push pack whilst the Cullen's were out hunting. This was still unlikely. The Cullen's rarely went hunting as a complete unit, but in twos or threes, sometimes singular. And then there was the question of why I was being kidnapped. I wasn't in any danger from the Cullen's.

Idea three--This wasn't a La Push wolf. I panicked, it's seemed like the most logical explanation. If someone from the La Push pack was going to take me, it would've been Jacob, or possibly Sam. This man that was carrying me like a sack of potatoes certainly wasn't anybody I recognised.

I wanted to laugh hysterically at the situation. It was completely ludicrous.

The air around me which had been whipping against my face, was now slowing, and I realised the person carrying me had returned to a slow walk. We were miles from the Cullen house now, in the completely opposite direction to the clearing on which we had once played baseball.

I was placed on the ground shakily and I tried to regain my balance as best as I could. I turned in the opposite direction to the man who's eyes were fixated behind me. I glanced at the red eyes and grey cloaks and everything seemed to unconventionally make sense. The wolf was with the Volturi.

I glanced at the five faces before me and felt a pang of recognition at three of them. Felix. Alec. Heidi. The other two seemed to be closer together and I wondered if they were a couple. Before I could tinker over my thoughts any longer, Heidi started to bark orders in her sickly sweet voice. She seemed more menacing than any of the other vampires, with her violet eyes and my uncertainty about her.

"Afton, Chelsea, I want you at the back of the formation. The wolf will be next to Bella in the middle, me and Alec will be up front." As soon as Heidi had spoken the words, everyone was in position with their cloak hoods up. The wolf scooped me up to his chest and I heard the heavy pounding of his heart. He seemed disgusted by what he was doing, but he was like a puppet on a string. It was obvious he was being forced to do this, whether by Heidi and her power, or by some sort of deal or ransom.

We reached the road just as the rain started to crash against my skin and pound against the ground violently. In front I could just make out the outline of two cars. "Bella in the Maserati with Alex, Felix and the wolf." I had a feeling she was speaking loudly for my benefit, although I don't see why she bothered.

I was forced into the back of the Maserati with 'the wolf'' as Heidi called him. As Felix started to speed off, I glanced through the windscreen and could see the profiles of Heidi, Afton and Chelsea in the car in front.

I tried to look out of the window, but the rain and trees were mixed into a blur and my head was already spinning without this aid. My hands were shaking involuntarily. I was scared for myself, but more for the Cullen's. If any of them died because of me, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I wanted to say something, but when I opened my mouth, nothing came out but air. The car was moving faster than anything I had experienced before, with the exception of Alice in the 911 turbo.

Eventually I managed to clump together a shaky sentence," W-what's happening?" Alec looked like he was about to say something, but Felix hissed, cutting off his trail of thought. I looked at the wolf beside me, who had his head in his hands in what seemed to be grief. I didn't know what to say to him, I wanted to ask him what was happening, but that would be impossible whilst we were in such close proximity with Alec and Felix.

"Erm, excuse me," I asked the man sat beside me, "um, can I ask you, um, what's your name?" I saw his head turn slightly and he looked into my eyes, "Max."

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A/N: OK. This is a bit different, we are having a bit of Bella now. It seemed appropriate, so please don't shoot me. I know we all want to know what Alice has to say, but she will say it eventually, and we just have to be patient. Also, on Chapter 4, you may be wondering why Alice managed to have a vision when the wolf was supposedly with Aro and Caius??? Well, he wasn't, but that will be explained in a later chapter. Max has an important part to play, so don't shoot him either...yet. BAHAHA! Sorry, the evil in me is just bursting to get out and play with everyone. Read and Review, I like to know what you think. If there are any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I have also come to realise that Afton has an unknown power...which I will use to my advantage. I love AU.

Thanks to everyone who has been following this story. There are some newcomers, which fills me with something good, but I'm not sure what. It's like that thing you get when you've eaten a pund of chocolate and have pictures of Kellan/Jackson/Rob in your face. Either way, it's very nice.

*Gets off podium*

(Oh and Cíara...I'm sorry if I've been a bitch. I didn't mean it, I love you dear.)


	6. Chapter 6 The Game Begins

Hope you're bearing with it!!! xD

It's starting to reveal itself now, the story, I mean....

As always thank you to everyone who reads and reviews and basically enjoys the story, and also thank yous to my friends over on Twilighted(dot)net...(xparawhorextwerdx, Litnerd, Mcvampy, CoyotegurlNikki, Dreaming, Redrose15, LyndsiAmanda...wow, so many others...)

Disclaimer: Twilight is not mine, although I do like to play with Stephenie's characters...

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**Chapter 6 - The Game Begins**

**BPOV**

My confidence seemed to grow slightly, despite the fact that I was in a car with two vampires and a werewolf, well, a wolf anyway. "W-why are you here?" I whispered to Max softly, in the hope that the other vampires wouldn't hear. Of course, I knew they would. "I think that's a conversation for another time." Max replied matter-of-factly. I nodded and resumed my original position of looking out of the window. Everything was still passing in a blur so I closed my eyes, and concentrated on my breathing.

I must have fallen asleep because the last thing I remembered was being in the car with Max, Felix and Alec. I was now in a seat on an aeroplane. I looked around slightly, and saw that there was plenty of room to move, and the only passengers seemed to be the vampires, Max and I. _This must be a private Jet_, I thought, _I hope Max was the one who carried me on board._

I noticed that Heidi was sat nearer to the cockpit, and further from me, than anyone else. Alec, Felix and Afton were playing poker on a table on the far side, with Chelsea dealing. My first thoughts were that the vampires were keeping their distance. Of course, I was like a chocolate fountain, no wonder Max was sat next to me, to diffuse the smell.

I was about to relax back into my seat as best as I could, but then the door leading to the cockpit opened and Jane walked in. Her face was angular and her cheekbones perfect, very high and broadly spaced but delicate. Her jawline was strong yet feminine. She was probably the one member of the Volturi I could recall immediately. Whenever I had a nightmare, she was in them, torturing Edward in the way she had previously. Her features were small, kittenish, which were perhaps what made her look like a girl.

She glanced my way and I saw the deep crimson of her eyes bore into me through her ashen lashes. Despite her small frame, she emitted an air of danger. Probably the strangest thing though, was that I liked looking at her. Her hair was full and blonde like Rosalie's and her stature reminded me of Alice, small and graceful, yet powerful.

"Hello Bell-a," Jane spoke softly, in her musical vampiric voice. I cringed as she walked closer, her deep red eyes still fixated on my dull brown ones. Her brow creased for a short moment, which I would have missed had I not been so focused on her, and then she smiled. It wasn't the almost grimace I had seen from Aro, but it was an actual smile, her small rose lips curved upwards mischievously. "I was hoping that little talent would have somehow worn off, but obviously not." She continued to smile at me, which made me feel uneasy.

Demetri then walked out of the cockpit, "Bella." He sneered and then went to the table where the four vampires were playing poker. "Who else is in there?" I asked Jane who was still frozen in front of me. "Aro and Caius," she said, before returning to the cockpit.

My teeth were now chattering, not through cold, but through fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear for the Cullens. Fear for even Max.

I closed my eyes and tried to think of anything, anything that would calm me, something that could temporarily remove me from consciousness of the unfolding situation. At first, nothing came. But then I remembered the last time I had felt like this. When Edward had left me shortly after my eighteenth birthday. I remembered the fear and the pain. I remembered our final embrace. Usually, when he would take me into his arms, he would stiffen and be controlled. But this final touch, it was what had kept me hanging onto him after he had left me. Even if I felt he didn't love me, it was this last moment that had stopped me from dying really. It had given me hope. Hope that he did still, deep down, loved me.

I concentrated on that embrace. He stiffened at first, as he always did, but then he melted against me. It lasted a mere second before he released me and pushed me away.

Ironically, it was that embrace, that last memory of feeling so breakable, that pulled me out of my current dread.

The plane landed abruptly and before I could blink, Heidi had a firm grip around my wrist. I winced at the pressure she was exerting. "Heidi, maybe you shouldn't be so rough with young Bella, we need to keep her in one piece, for now." I knew that voice, that menacing, acidic tongue. It was Aro, and he was stood right behind me.

It seemed that the Volturi had a planned formation once we had landed. Jane, Alec and Felix walked at the front; I was next to Aro, Heidi and Caius; Chelsea and Afton were behind with Max; and Demetri was out of sight.

We continued to walk. The air was choppy and the sun hidden behind the dense clouds. My feet were the only ones that seemed to make a sound as we moved, and the slow pace seemed also to be for my benefit. I felt the blood pool in my cheeks in embarrassment, which worried me further, along with my racing heart. Somehow, the vampires, the human-blood drinking vampires, were resisting the urge to snap my neck and drain me dry.

Eventually, much to the relief of Felix and Heidi at least, we reached four more cars. I could see these more clearly than those in Forks, and my head was clearer after the initial shock. All three cars were a shiny black colour, and all four were mustangs. The formation that we had been in now separated. Aro, Caius and Jane headed for the first vehicle; Afton, Chelsea and Max climbed into the second; Felix headed for the last; whilst Heidi pushed me into the back of the third mustang.

I caught a blur go past the back window as I straightened up, and I realised that there must have been four vampires who drove the cars here. I could make out the profile of an extra being in the car ahead, and as I turned to look out the back, I could see there were three vampires in the car behind, not just Felix.

"Quite a fuss for a simple human," Heidi spoke suddenly. I gulped and sunk back into the seat. Most of the journey was filled with silence, the vehicles were not moving as fast as they had been in Forks. I suppose it felt safer to the Volturi. We were now, most probably, heading for Voltaire, and there were 13 vampires travelling with us. I had learnt last time that the Volturi didn't like even numbers. It was both Demetri and Felix who closed in on Edward in that alleyway, yet they still seemed threatened, that is, until Jane appeared.

_Please don't rescue me, please don't rescue me_. I continued to chant in my head for some time until Heidi spoke again, her voice seemed to sift through my thoughts. "Don't worry, the Cullens will probably try to rescue you, but they won't know where to find you. Quite an advantage having a dog, isn't it?" I could see her smiling and looking at me through the rear view mirror.

"They aren't stupid. They won't risk it. they won't join your stupid games." I don't know where the sudden surge of confidence had come from, but my moment to shine passed extremely quickly.

Heidi's lips curled upwards again, her violet eyes seemed to shine. "Oh, we have ways to make them play."

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A/N: *Does the Jaws theme tune* Is it tense yet? Are you cringing in your seats???? Oh, if not, I will make you....

So, I need responses now. I need to know what everyone thinks of Jane. Is she good? Is she evil? Are you confused?

Oh, and I have a song for this chapter...yeah, I've outdone myself, haven't I?

Liar Liar by The Used. Want a linky? I can give a youtube linky.... Oh, wait, I can't. Youtube isn't playing right now...crap. Oh, and this is pretty upbeat for the usual songs I listen to, I just think it's pretty game. xDDD

Oh, and next chapter will be up on either Christmas or boxing day, because I can do that. I can sacrifice that for you xD

Anyways, I'm going now...Nicholas Cage is on the TV...

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	7. Chapter 7 Volterra

Hmm, I promised a chapter for Christmas, and here it is!!! xD Merry Christmas!!!!!

As always, much love to my friends (xparawhorextwerdx, Litnerd, CoyotegurlNikki, Birgit, Togrees5cubs, Dreaming, LyndsiAmanda, EclipsedbyJacob...and so many others...)

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Chapter 7 - Volterra

I was horror-struck. I wanted to scream, but it seemed like all of the breath had been sucked out of me. It was like I had been winded, but instead of a blow to the stomach, the hits came straight to my heart and my head. I seemed to forget where I was for a moment. It was as if my head had been shoved into a dense cloud, fogged and thoughtless.

The sensation dulled after a few seconds, but what Heidi had said lingered. I couldn't remember her words exactly, after all, I was human. _There are ways to make them play_. This was what it was to her and the rest of them. A game. No matter about lives, this was something to break the tedium of their existence. Oh sure, they have the odd vampire war, but where is the fun in that? Playing with emotions however, very entertaining.

"Oh look, we're home." stated Heidi nonchalantly as the vehicle came to an abrupt stop. I felt my body lurch forward slightly, but the seat belt I had put on constricted against me. I was unconsciously following Edward's instructions, _put your seatbelt on, be safe_...although I wasn't exactly safe, was I? I was aware, however, that Heidi would probably try not to hurt me, that would unfortunately ruin the game.

The door opened and Heidi pulled me out of the car and into the street. The previous formation resumed, but with the extra four vampires. Aro seemed to have a personal guard, a female, now with him. Her hand remained on his shoulder at all times. In front, another of the vampires resided next to Jane, and the remaining two disappeared behind Chelsea and Afton.

I was expecting to take the route that I had last time, through the sewers, but it seems there were many other ways into the building. The front four vampires entered the square first and disappeared under a stone archway to the left; Aro, Caius, Max and Chelsea headed through the first alleyway on the right; Afton, Heidi and I kept walking forwards, towards the fountain I had once ran through in my efforts to save Edward and, the remaining vampires seemed to disappear behind us.

The square seemed empty, not just of people, but also anything else. There were no pigeons or other birds washing in the fountain or scrounging for food. It was as if they knew of the dangers here.

We walked past the fountain, which brought shivers down my spine. I winced at the sound of the stream of water, to which Heidi seemed extremely amused. I clenched my hands into fists and kept my eyes to the ground. I was determined not to show any weakness. _Just a game Bella, just a game. Not in the conventional sense, but still, it's a game._

Of course, this didn't relax me. This was the Volturi after all, the very elite of the vampire world. In the words of Alice when she spoke to Jacob, _"The Volturi are the very essence of our kind-they're the reason your hair stands on end when you smell me. They are the substance of your nightmares, the dread behind your instincts."_

Her words rang true to me also. My dreams and nightmares were taken over by the Volturi from the moment I first set foot in Volterra. They made Victoria seem like a kitten. I knew that, if a battle was to occur between the Volturi and the Cullen's, it would not be like the one that had occurred between the Cullen's and the newborns. It would be a massacre, a massacre of my future family.

We continued to walk through the streets at my slow pace. My feet clipped against the cobbled pavement and seemed to reverberate around the large square. The last time I had been here, I didn't realise the beauty of the buildings, and I wondered how I could do so now, but I did. Everything was old and weathered, but it held allure and seemed enticing. It was almost like a blossoming tree in the spring. Not quite perfect, without the flowers or fruits, but it held the basic foundations of that perfection, and with it, held it's own type of beauty.

Eventually, we reached a side alley, much further away from all of the other entrances into the great building. I noticed that the sun was now setting, making way for the moon to take the night shift. The sky was also becoming darker, with shades of blue and purple, it was as if the clear sky was now bruising into blackness.

Afton opened a wooden door which was at the farthest end of the alleyway from the street. "After you," spoke Heidi in a mocking tone before she stepped in after me. I couldn't see anything in the room, or corridor, that we were now inside. I seemed to focus on the sound of my feet and the whooshing of breath forcing its way in and out of my lungs. I felt the pressure of Heidi's cold touch on my bicep as she pulled me along. It must have been a corridor. The sounds of my feet didn't echo throughout like they would in a large room, but they seemed to spread forwards, like a sound travelling through a tube_. The corridor must be long and narrow,_ I thought. And it also appeared perpetually darkened.

I wouldn't admit it or show it, but I was petrified. To stop myself going into hysterics, I focused on the pain in my legs. I was walking unnaturally, stepping on the balls of my feet first to reduce the chances of me tripping. My ankles were throbbing, but the pain seemed deep, like it was being emitted from inside the bone marrow. My calves were also stinging slightly, and they were almost burning. Maybe concentrating on this physical pain was a bad thing, because it was making me feel light headed, but at least I wasn't breaking down or unfurling in the eyes of the rancorous vampires.

We reached another door, much the same as the last, it was wooden and old with a single bolt lock and a brass knocker. Afton pushed open the door and a stream of light filled the corridor we had been walking down. I expected it to look much like a sewer, damp and dirty, but it wasn't. The floor was cobbled like out in the street, but the walls were papered red. There were also old gas lamps at intervals along the corridor, although they were covered in cobwebs and had long since been in use.

Heidi pushed me through the second door and I squinted my eyes as the light seemed blinding. Once my eyes had adjusted, I saw that this room was like a lounge. There were wooden bookcases and a suit of armour in the corner. In the centre of the room was a coffee table. It was stained with rings from hot cups and needed a good varnish. There were two sofas on either side of the coffee table. Both were a sickly pink colour, sort of the colour you'd imagine your spleen to be.

I walked slowly into the room, with Heidi behind me and Afton in front. My feet no longer made a sound on the burgundy carpet, and I felt a momentary relief being able to walk normally.

"Afton, stay here with Bell-a." The rest of the conversation I missed, it was obviously deliberate and not for my ears. Heidi left almost immediately through another door. I sat gingerly on one of the seats, expecting something grotesque to happen, but nothing did. I took the time to glance around the room, not wanting to make eye contact with Afton, it felt safer not to. My heart was still racing and occasionally I felt it stutter. Four doors. Four doors leading off from this room. One led into that corridor and onto the street, one led to where Heidi was going, and two were a mystery.

The door Heidi had left through opened again. I expected to see Heidi walk through, but instead, there were three figures in dark cloaks. Jane, Alec and Felix.

"Afton, we have it from here." Afton seemed to leave the room immediately. Jane was the authoritive figure here, and I could guess why.

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A/N: Ok, as always, I love Reviews. xD

The song for this was : Bang Bang - Nancy Sinatra. Yes, strange.

And again, MERRY CHRISTMAS 2008!!!!!


	8. Chapter 8 Blood Lust

Disclaimer: SM owns all things Twilight. If you don't know who SM is, go shoot yourself in the foot...with a browning!

Shout outs to everyone who reads the story! And hey Pixieyow! I'm glad you could join xD xparawhorextwerdx, dreaming, Redrose15, CoyotegurlNikki, LyndsiAmanda, EclipsedbyJacob... all of the lovely ladies I know!

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Chapter 8 - Blood. Lust

Jane walked over to me, and took my hand in her own. Her touch was cold, but I was used to the temperature. I also felt that my own body temperature had dropped, due to the cold weather and being constantly manhandled by icy vampires.

She walked with me in front, with Alec and Felix behind us. It unnerved me not being able to see them but feeling their eyes on me. We entered through the door that was opposite me when I was sat waiting. The corridor was unlike the one I had previously travelled down, it was like I had expected the other corridor. Like a sewer. I felt a chill as we walked down this corridor, the stone beneath my feet clipped at my shoes and the ground was uneven and more trecherous. There was a small amount of light in this corridor, but this didn't help with my already impaired co-ordination. My left foot caught in a crook and I started to move closer to the ground.

Before I could reach the ragged stone floor, I felt a tug at my left arm, which almost dislocated my shoulder. Jane had pulled me back and prevented me from falling. "Don't worry, I won't let you fall." I don't know who was more astonished by her friendliness, me or the other two vampires. I turned to face them and could just make out the bewilderment in their expressions. This didn't faze Jane though. She simply smiled and continued walking, with me in tow.

We reached the end of the corridor in less time than I had imagined. This corridor was shorter than the other one, which brought me a small amount of relief.

The door at the end of this corridor, was however, more securely locked. There were twelve seperate locks and once Jane had opened them all, with different keys, at lightening speed, she coughed lightly.

I could hear a faint beeping sound for a second before the door flung open. Two of the unidentifiable vampires from the car were waiting on the other side of the door. Both the vampires bowed and together said, "Jane, Alec, Felix."

Jane bowed in response, "Corin, Santiago." I turned my head slightly to see if Alec and Felix were late in their responses, but they seemed unwilling to respect the two vampires in front of them. "Master Aro and Master Caius have requested that we take over now." Jane spoke in her sing-song voice, which was unthreatening in any way, yet caused the opposite reaction to Corin and Santiago.

Both vampires left abruptly, leaving Jane to lead the way through the door. There was a small step, which caused a slight difficulty to get over, and I could have sworn I heard Alec and Felix laugh. I wanted to scowl at them, which I knew was childish and most possibly foolish, but it was about the only reaction I could think of in the current situation.

My heart had calmed down slightly, which was more because I had now come to expect the unexpected, than me actually becoming calmer.

As I entered the room, I noticed it was full of holding cells. The walls and floors and ceilings were made of stone and the railings which made up the doors must have been iron. These cells weren't made for vampire captives. I was sure of that at least.

The door slammed behind me and I turned to see Felix re-activating the door alarm. Twelve locks that had to be opened from the outside, and a security alarm that had to be deactivated from inside. It seemed like drastic measures for simple humans.

"Come." Jane's voice echoed slightly in the room, and she walked slowly up the central aisle. There was a cell on either side of me, and there were five rows. Ten cells in all. As we walked, I glanced in each cell, but they were empty. I felt a deep dread as I began to realise I would be the only prisoner.

Above me, the flurescents glowed a deep orange, which was making me feel hot and nauseous. As we reached the far end of the room, I saw a stone fireplace which was crackling with burning wood. "For warmth," Jane stated and continued to walk.

At the end of the corridor, a cell was open. Jane looked apologetic and Felix pushed me inside. I fell to the floor of the cell and looked around at the damp and felt the cold, hard stone beneath me.

I didn't realise until I could smell the rust and salt, that I was bleeding. When I had fallen, my knees had scraped against the concrete floor.

I was horror-struck. I had nowhere to run and I was bleeding in front of three blood thirsty vampires. I was facing the back wall and not in the direction of the vampires, when I heard a thud. I turned and saw that Felix was on the floor, writhing in agony. Jane looked completely furious. Her eyes were almost burning.

"Jane! Stop!" Alec's voice was pleading.

"You saw what he nearly did! We can't touch her!" Jane still had a hold on Felix as she spoke to Alec, never taking her eyes off the body that was thrashing against the floor.

"But-"

"No buts, phone Corin. Now!"

Alec pulled a phone out from under his cloak and dialled quickly. I could hardly see his lips move as he spoke into the reciever.

Minutes seemed to pass slowly. I was disgusted by the torture that was going on in front of me, despite that it was to save my life. I covered my knees with my arms and rested my chin against them as I waited for this surreal moment to pass.

It wasn't until I saw a slight movement in the opposite cell, that I realised I wasn't the only prisoner. I could see the horror in her eyes as she looked towards Felix, and then she glanced at me.

The woman looked to be in her twenties. She had sea-blue eyes and sunkissed hair. Her lips were small and pressed into a thin line, and her forehead was creased due to her expression. She seemed pained, and I wondered if Jane had done this to her previously. I also wondered why she was here. What was her purpose.

For some reason, I smiled at her. It hurt to smile, everywhere hurt, but I did it anyway. It probably looked more like a grimace, but she had recieved the message. Although her lips never moved from the tight line, her brow relaxed slightly and her eyes softened.

"Alec, the door," Jane hissed and Alec moved towards the door and deactivated the security alarm. The door swung open and Corin walked back in. I could tell he was pissed to be back here, after just leaving. His nostrils flared and he immediately looked to me, despite the fact that Felix was writhing in agony on the floor. Yeah, he was pissed, at me.

"Alec, take him out of here." Corin's voice seemed to take authority of the situation, his eyes still lingering on me. Jane relaxed slightly.

Once Alec and Felix were out of the room, Corin and Jane moved over to the fire and started speaking rapidly. I could make out the annoyance in Corin's voice, and the fury in Jane's, but nothing more. The most important thing, however, was that Corin's dark eyes were no longer fixed on mine. I felt like a weight had been lifted.

"Excuse me," a voice spoke, and I realised it was the woman in the opposite cell, "I was wondering if you could tell me what that was all about?" She was addressing me, and seemed to have crawled closer to the bars, decreasing the distance between us. The corridor suddenly felt quite narrow, and if we both stretched our arms through the bars, we could probably touch each other. I removed my arms from my knees and her lips pursed into an 'o' shape. She nodded before showing me her arm. It was bandaged, the dressing looked clean.

"I cut myself last week, but it was for a purpose. I wanted them to kill me, I hoped they would lose control, then Max would have no reason to work for them." I watched her eyes sadden and could almost feel the sting in them as the water pooled in her lids. That was one thing I would miss as a vampire. Crying. Crying eased tension, eased pain. I hoped I'd get the chance to cry again, once I was out of this place. I had a feeling that the next time I was outside of these bars, I would be undead, or really dead.

"You know Max?" I asked her and she nodded. "He's my husband. They are making him do things, if he refuses, I die. I'd rather he refuse to work for the leeches, and let me die." I shook my head at her words. She wasn't thinking clearly, she was hysterical, bewildered, there was a reason she was talking words of such insanity. But they made sense.

"I think I would have done the same, in fact, I almost did at one point." I didn't know why I was telling her this, but it seemed that we understood eachother in a way, and I wanted to stop her tears. The one thing worse than my own sorrow, was that of others. They shouldn't suffer like this.

"My fíancee and one of my friends were fighting two vampires, and I thought that if I sacrificed myself, it would give them a chance to win. I was thinking of myself as 'the third wife' so to speak." Her eyes widened in recognition.

"You know the legends? How? Is your fíancee a wolf?" I wanted to tell her yes. It would have calmed her, it would have made things easier to just blatantly lie. But I couldn't. Yes, I was a bad liar, but I also had a conscience.

"My best friend...I have friends who are shapeshifters." I diverted my eyes to the concrete floor and found a small stone. I picked it up and started fiddling with it absent-mindedly.

"Then how can your fíancee fight a...," I saw the recognition in her eyes, "he isn't????" Her hand was clamped over her small mouth now, her wedding band visible on her finger.

"Yes, he's a vampire. Long story."

"I don't know if you realised, but we aren't exactly going anywhere. What's your name?" she asked now. I noticed her expression had changed from sadness to now interest, which I was glad of. I realised I could tell her about everything. She knew about vampires and werewolves, I wouldn't be endangering her life any more than it already was. But then again, I am a danger magnet.

"Bella."

"Adele."

I spent a long time explaining to her about the Cullens and the La Push pack, I even told her about my last visit to Volterra and about the nomads who tried to kill me. It was probably foolish, but I found that it eased my mind slightly. If I was going to die here, I'd like someone to know everything. It was like the words spoken on your death bed, but without the apologies and the regret.

Jane and Corin had seemed to settle their differences by the time I had retold my story, but then again, they probably heard it all anyway. I knew about vampire 'distractions.' I didn't know what time it was, but Corin left the room to join the others for their feast. It made me cringe to think of what their feast entailed. I could still see the lady with her rosary beads walking up the corridor. There was nothing I could do about it. Nothing I could do to stop them taking innocent lives. Jane was going to wait until Corin came back, that much I heard.

Jane walked closer to the both of us, and Adele cringed and moved back towards the wall. "You missed a part," Jane said to Adele before she turned back to me and crouched down. I moved closer, rather than shrunk away. I may be frightened, but there was something about Jane.

"Brave." Her lips turned up into a smile again. If she had fangs, they would have shown. I knew they didn't, but I still expected it.

"Not brave, stubborn," I replied. My voice was just noticeable to my own ears, and it was more breathy than anything else.

"Stubborn is such a cruel word, and to face a vampire as you do, regardless of whether my talent works on you or not, is still extremely brave." I shrugged. There was nothing I could say to her, I didn't want to die, and I wasn't going to provoke the Volturi, unlike some people I know. Or a person.

"The part she missed, was why her suicide attempt didn't work, and why you didn't get killed today."

"I can guess." Stubborn through and through. Jane laughed and seemed completely at ease in her knelt position. It was yet another thing that set us apart. The way she could stand, the way that her legs where unnaturally bent and her knees apart as she spoke to me. It would be extremely uncomfortable for a human, yet irrelevant to a vampire. Just like how they didn't fidget, or blink, or need to sit.

"You could, but Corin will be back soon, and we aren't supposed to fraternize with the enemy." I just blinked. Shock does that to people.

"It was partly my skill that stopped him at first, but then it was Corin when he got here. He also makes it much easier for the rest of us when we are around humans. You see, his talent, it's hard to comprehend. He can do things, he can make illusions in the mind. Make you smell things that aren't real, make you think you have done things that you haven't. He is very strange because of that.

"He has been blocking the smell of your blood. He did it first when we walked through Volterra, and then again before. He can't project it further than a few metres though. So right now, I can smell the allure of your blood." My breathing hitched and then Jane laughed. I had paid full attention, which meant my heart was beating frantically again, which seemed to make Jane smile.

"That is the reaction we should cause every time you see us. Every time you think of us."

I did have that reaction, most of the time. And they haunted my sleep. But Jane didn't need to know any of that. I gulped and looked disbelievingly into her crimson eyes. She retracted her lips and I could see the venom dripping from her teeth as her tongue swept over them. She gulped and swallowed the venom, which seemed thick in her throat, yet it looked watery on her teeth. Just when I thought I was safe, she spoke, "I want to explain to you, how it feels, how it is." I was frozen still. I couldn't find a voice and simply squeaked and shivered as I almost felt what it would be like, to be killed by a vampire.

"First, there is the scent." She picked up my arm, which seemed dead and yeilded to her command. She brought her nose to my wrist and almost caressed it with her nose. She dropped my arm and swallowed. "The smell is intoxicating, it is indescribable. Better than the most appetising meal you could ever imagine. It _hurts_ to smell you yet not be able to drink and satisfy that thirst." She moved away slightly and stood up. I followed her movements, I stood also, but crouched so we were face to face through the bars.

"Then there is the sound of the pulse. The faster it is going, the more enthralling it is. The more you want to take the rush of blood as your own, the more you want to stop that beating heart." Her right arm went to her own chest and started thudding against it, in time to my own heart, growing faster and faster. I wanted to cringe away, but I couldn't. She had me locked in her eyes.

She then tilted her head to the side, exposing her ghostly pale neck. I tilted also, to keep my eyes on hers. I could feel my pulse ringing in my ears. "The veins in your neck and wrist. They are entrancing, almost hypnotic. You can almost taste the blood as it moves through them."

Now she bent two of the bars with ease, and stepped inside the cell. She moved towards me and I pressed myself up against the back wall. I couldn't break my gaze, but I knew that Adele was probably horrified.

"But the most important part is actually feasting on the blood. Tearing at an artery and letting the blood hit the roof of your mouth, a thousand times more luscious than the finest of wines, the very essence, the hot and smoky scent of the heart." She shrank away from me and my legs gave in as I slid down the wall and to the floor. I was no longer connected to her eyes, I felt slightly relieved. Until she spoke again.

"The blood. It fills our veins and makes us feel strong beyond all imagination. The burn in our throats is finally dulled, and we are satisfied. Until our next fill."

I felt my body lurch over and my chin was touching the concrete on the floor. I was sweating profusely and had to swallow back the bile that was rising in my throat. I wanted to vomit, but I didn't. Jane was at once crouched beside me as I lifted myself further from the ground. She bent over me, her teeth milimetres from my neck. "And yet, there is a feeling even greater than this. The feeling when you find your singer. La Tua Cantante." She made the phrase sound heavenly. And I suppose it was, in a way.

She pulled back the hair that was hanging forward over my face, and tucked it behind my ear. "How is it, that Edward can resist the urge to drain you, to take your singing blood? And not only that, but he tortures himself with it time and time again, just to be near you, to be with you. It amazes me. I want to know why, I _need_ to know why."

She stepped away from me again and traced her hands along the concrete walls. She then stepped through the bent bars and put them back to their original shape. I was still bent over and panting heavily. I was fixed in position out of pure fear, although the threat was seeming to pass. Instinct told me that. "Don't worry Bella, I won't hurt you."

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A/N: Read and review!

Happy New Year for Thursday! I won't be home, unfortunately. Stupid parties to attend. Urgh.

I was listening to Hot N Cold - Katy Perry for this chapter, maybe it's how I feel about Jane?


	9. Chapter 9 The New Arrangement

Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer.

Is it just me, or are these chapters getting longer? Bleh, I didn't say I was consistent...

Thanks for all the support from everyone reading this story. Cíara, Rose, Nikki, Jenna, Tiffani, Theresa, Lyndsi, Alfie, Katherine...you are all brilliant. The best friends I could ever have.

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**Chapter 9 - The New Arrangement**

**EPOV**

"They have come to a new arrangement."

"But how do you know?" Carlisle asked, showing concern in his mind. He was worried that the Volturi were tricking us in some way. Even though they were the masters of the undead, it seemed a little far-fetched that they could change their minds without changing their minds.

"How am I supposed to know? I only see the visions, I don't know how they are made, or why." Alice seemed quite testy, it was like the Alice when shopping for a particular pair of shoes, but there not being her size in the colour she wants. Of course, she always fixed those types of problems. Money could see to that.

I glanced around at the rest of my family, all thoughts were full of concern for Bella, even Rosalie's thoughts. It seemed astounding that, less than a year ago, Rosalie's thoughts were full of pure hatred towards Bella. To think she actually wanted to _kill_ Bella in her spite and worry for the family. _"So much fuss for a simple human." _she had once said. But now, said simple human is almost a sister to her, and she would do almost anything for Bella, but not as much as Alice would, or I.

Jasper's thoughts had also changed significantly. From wanting to murder her to make it easier for him to live, (not just because of her blood, but also the emotions surrounding the family. They ranged from tension to anguish to love to bitterness...all difficult for Jasper, who not only controlled emotion, but unfortunately, was subject to them also), to friendliness and concern with the nomad situation; to guilt when he almost killed her, which was unnecessary, he hadn't hurt her; to yet more guilt and pain when we left, and he blamed himself for my suicide attempt. Finally, now, he felt love towards her. His brotherly love wasn't as strong as that from Emmett or the love felt by Esme or Carlisle, but it was more a type of love for what she has done. She has made his misunderstood brother happy, has filled a hole in Alice's existence, has completed the family. And that is why he felt love towards her. She had earned it.

Esme was worrying for Bella significantly, the loss making her remember the feelings she felt when her son died. I could never feel as sorry as I did in that moment, when I saw Esme's eyes, wretched and helpless. I could almost see the tears falling from her eyelids. Almost taste the salt from the invisible tears. I wish she could cry. Let out the anguish.

Alice and Carlisle were unreadable. They had 'blocking' me down to a fine art. Of course, not all the time could they control their thoughts, and I usually picked up hints when they were doing pointless reciting in their minds to keep me out. No one had it down to the level that Bella had however. She was completely closed to me, even in unconsciousness. She didn't have to be aware of it. Strong. She would be a strong vampire.

I shook my head to try to remove the vision of the 'Alice Vampire Bella' out of my mind. I was aware that it was closer to happening, or I was closer to deciding. Either way, I could see vampire Bella more clearly, and I could allow myself to think about Bella as a vampire, although I didn't want to.

I had doubts about the soul issue still, but the more I looked to the faces of my family, I knew they had pure souls. I knew that, if there was a God, and a Heaven, and even a Hell, then their souls would be going to Heaven. Even Jasper, maybe. God forgives.

I took a fleeting glance into Emmett's thoughts. It usually unnerved me, because I was unsure of what I would find. His perverted thoughts were at bay, for now. He was thinking about a rescue mission and caught me looking at him. He grinned. _Hey Bro, I thought we could go in there like Hancock and bring the place down! I want a piece of that Felix dude, you know--_

And cut. I raised my eyebrows and had to hold back a laugh. This wasn't the time or place. And since when did we start flying?

Esme spoke up, "OK Alice, calm down. What did you see?" Alice frowned but didn't let any of her thoughts through to me. I'd just have to wait, like everyone else. I hated waiting.

"They must have got rid of the dog, or it has escaped, either way, they have no dog. They have to be very careful with their thoughts now, and I have a feeling they didn't see the risk of this happening."

"Alice, what the hell are you talking about?" Jasper asked, and then smiled. What ever emotion was coming from Alice, it was a good one.

"They have lost the dog. I see it now. They didn't get rid of it, they lost it. They don't realise it yet, that's why I can see!" Alice started jumping up and down, barely able to contain her excitement. I suppose she didn't feel like a loose piece of thread now. She could help get her sister back.

"What about Bella?" I asked. I didn't care about the Volturi not knowing the whereabouts of their pet. I wanted to know if Bella was safe.

"I can't see her anymore." She looked puzzled, then looked to Carlisle. She never looked in my direction.

"What?! Where is she? Alice!" I lost control and smashed up Esme's coffee table without even realising it. No pain, no pressure, no nothing. Rage wasn't the best emotion for fighting or doing anything. Neither was despair.

Emmett and Jasper had a firm grip on either side of me, and Esme just looked extremely surprised. She probably thought I was emotionally unstable at this point. I agreed with her.

Carlisle was suddenly in front of me. His thoughts open, for me to hear. _Son, if the werewolf has escaped, and we can't see Bella, then we know that the werewolf is with Bella_. Why did that make him feel calmer? Why was Alice not concerned? Werewolves are killers.

I struggled. Much good it would do. Emmett had a death grip on me, and despite me being able to see into either of their thoughts, I was outnumbered.

"Edward, we'll find Bella. We promise. You want her to be OK, don't you?" I looked at my sister with black eyes. I would get a crick in my neck if I was human, well, I'd be crushed to pulp if I was human. I sagged slightly in my brother's hold. I wanted Bella to be OK. I'd prefer her to be absolutely brilliant, but with the Volturi, OK is the best I can wish for.

I nodded and the arms holding me like a pair of vices slackened and then moved away. I decided to listen, rather than intrude now. It was the least I could do.

"Alice," Carlisle stated, which led Alice back into her thoughts.

"The Volturi have lost the dog, but they won't realise for another five minutes."

"When did they lose the dog, Alice?" Carlisle asked again.

"An hour ago. I didn't see it, because I can't see the dog. I only noticed because of the Volturi's change of plan, or should I say Aro's."

"Explain." Carlisle looked concerned, interested.

"Caius has agreed, purely because of entertainment value." Alice cringed after that statement. I wanted into her mind, but I couldn't get passed her mental block.

"Marcus?" Carlisle asked.

"He'd rather have no part of any of this, he says yes and no to things, but he doesn't really clearly decide. Bitterness and hatred can be a pair of mother fuckers."

"Alice!" Esme scolded.

Alice looked at the floor and bit her lip. Emmett was laughing his head off. "Sorry, Esme. I've been spending too much time with Emmett and movies."

Esme nodded but I noticed she was planning on bombarding the both of them with house work when all of this was over. The joys of reading minds.

"So, the plan is going ahead regardless. They are going to take us by force at dusk. We have nine hours."

I noticed Emmett cracked his knuckles in anticipation. Jasper paced the room and Alice sat on the sofa furthest from me. She was thinking through something, something to do with the arrival of the Volturi, but that was all I could tell. And she was definitely spending too much time with Emmett, reciting 'Fast and Furious' at lightening speed was evidence enough.

I looked towards Esme, she smiled gently, _we'll get her back, Edward._ I nodded, more out of acknowledgement than hope. But Esme's eyes brightened slightly. Her thoughts were probably doubtful, but I had sealed them with a simple nod.

"Shit!" Alice almost shouted. I was crouched in front of her before even Jasper reached her shoulder.

"Alice?" I asked. I tried to get eye contact, but she wouldn't face me. Instead, her eyes shot up to Carlisle behind me.

"They have realised now that their plans may be foiled. They were going to split up to find the dog, but now, they are coming to take us." She looked swallowed in grief.

"But we knew they were coming Alice, what's changed?"

"In this vision, you die." Her eyes slowly found mine and I could see her thoughts. Immediately, Jasper spoke up.

"Maybe we can change that?"

"Jasper, if we try to run, they'll kill us all." Alice was stopping every single plan. There seemed to be no hope.

"Why don't we go back to our original plan then? Demetri will be on less guard now, let's go to Volterra whilst they come here," Emmett spoke, but it was less of a statement and more a question.

"Alice?" Carlisle asked. It seemed that Emmett's plan was being considered. Alice had the deciding vote, we needed to know if it was safer.

"We can get there safely if we travel in pairs. No cars."

"So we run to the airport?" I asked in astonishment.

"Why, of course." Alice was finally grinning. The plan was ridiculous, but it stopped us from getting killed. Run to the airport, get on a plane to Italy, rescue Bella, then what?

"What about later?" I asked suddenly. I wish I hadn't.

"Bella should be changed Edward. You know as well as I do. If she is a vampire, the Volturi have no reason to come after us, well, unless we kill one of them getting Bella out. It will look very bad to the vampire world if they started on us without any reason."

Of course. They wouldn't let news of an escaped human spread, so they would really have no reason to attack us.

"Emmett, you're a genius." I couldn't believe I was putting 'Emmett' and 'genius' in the same sentence. Then again, I couldn't believe that the Volturi would have a dog. The last twenty four hours had brought about many firsts. I just didn't want any more. Would I get what I want?

Yeah, right.

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A/N: Read and review. I love Emmett. Some of the references here were for my lil sister. Not that she deserves them...

Next chapter we continue with Edward's POV. I have a feeling they are in trouble...


	10. Chapter 10 Emmett's Plan In Action!

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

**Thanks to everyone who's reading and enjoying this crazy story. Shout outs to xparawhorextwerdx, litnerd, EclipsedbyJacob, CoyotegurlNikki, Pixieyow, Lady Dragona, Luv2beloved and LyndsiAmanda. Oh, and I know the title isn't very Spiffy...**

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**Chapter 10 - Emmett's Plan in Action**

"Esme and Jasper, Edward and Rosalie, then Emmett and Carlisle with me. Those will be the groups." Alice mode was a go.

"Why can't we go with our mates?" asked Emmett.

"Precautions." When Alice did something as a precaution, we never questioned it. I knew it was because of the Volturi. If Alice was with Jasper, Jasper could get himself hurt trying to defend Alice. It still wasn't ideal, but going with other family members was safer.

She was also putting us with those that weren't as close, well, as best as she could. Rosalie was probably the one member of the family I spoke to the least. She tended to keep out of my way, and Bella's. I did know about the few times she had spoken to Bella though, as a friend. Those times, I wasn't there. She was putting up a front. Didn't want to show that she was warming up to the human.

Carlisle looked at Alice and hesitated. "Alice, do you think we can get through this?" he asked, a pained looked in his eyes, and his usually smooth face seemed tense.

"I am hopeful, yes." Alice glanced at me a second, then turned back to Carlisle.

"But not certain." Carlisle stated.

"Nothing is certain, Carlisle, not even death." Alice's face turned towards the door, which was now ajar.

We all got into our pairs. Rosalie was looking at her nails, as though they needed a manicure.

"Rose, concentrate." She looked up through her darkened eyes.

"I am." Of course she was. I was just a little nervous right now. But still, it would help if she didn't act so distant. "Edward, calm down. Do you really think I'll get myself killed by a load of egotistical vampires?"

I didn't know. She grinned, not a smile that should be put on such a pretty face. Now I knew. No she would not.

Alice was closest to the door. She grabbed hold of Emmett's hand and nodded to Carlisle. She spoke no words, but they weren't needed. _Edward, we're going straight ahead, tell Esme and Jasper to go East and double round. You and Rose go West and double round._

I nodded, and they were gone through the door. "Esme, Jasper, Alice wants you both to go East, then turn back and follow their route." I said it whilst still staring at the open door. I couldn't smell the scent of any other vampires yet, apart from Demetri. But that was less than it had been. Demetri was heading in the same direction that we were, but that was to meet the rest of the Volturi when they arrived.

Esme gave me a quick hug and then held tightly to Jasper's hand. "Goodbye Rosalie," she said. _Goodbye Edward. _

"I suppose we're going West?" Rosalie's voice echoed in the now deserted house. My lips were drawn into a tight line. I nodded curtly. She took my hand in her own. I almost jumped out of my skin.

"Edward, stop being such a baby, get used to it." I blinked out of habit. _Besides, you're faster than I am. You can drag me if I lose speed._ Trust Rosalie to think practically when I could not. I just wanted Bella home. No matter what it cost.

Immediately, we were running through the forest. It seemed like a usual, everyday hunt, but it wasn't. That didn't stop me picking up the scent of deer, and a pack of gray wolves. They were hunting the deer. You could smell the fear as they ran, and the excitement of the pack as they hunted.

I glanced sideways at Rosalie, who also realised the hunt close by. We couldn't stop though, and we could control ourselves the best out of our family, if you don't include Carlisle.

I fastened the pace so that Rosalie had to work hard to keep up, but I kept my grip of her hand, and also made sure nothing hit us, or tripped us up. I took a deep breath out of habit, the strong smell of wood and pine filled my senses. It was time to double back.

I caught a powdery scent in the air. It was sweet and floral. Vampires. I picked out each scent individually, as best as I could. Aro, Caius, Demetri, Felix, Alec, Heidi. There were a further two scents I didn't recognise, but at least I knew there were eight vampires near. One of them just happened to be able to mind-track. We were in deep shit, and Rosalie knew it. Her thoughts were panicked, but she didn't stop running.

We stopped suddenly when we heard a branch snap. Call me paranoid, but animals tended to keep their distance as best they could. Not to mention there was a buzz of voices filling my mind. I could pick out individual thoughts and settled on the familiarity of Aro. I was right about the vampires. Eight of them, and no Jane. Things were looking up.

Rosalie's back leant against mine and we waited. We knew we were surrounded, but we didn't crouch yet. If we seemed threatening, they would kill us immediately. We could be civilised about this.

"Rosalie, if I say run, run." I hoped only Rosalie heard me, but I doubted that, and I doubted she was up for following my orders.

_I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving you here in this mess. And I won't go down without a fight._

"Fine." I could hear the sound of defeat in my own voice, Rosalie knew she had won.

_I know what you mean Edward. You're just accepting it, but I know you disapprove. What if it was the other way round? What if I told you to run, would you go?_

She had a point. I shook my head. She was smug.

Aro was the first to emerge from the expanse of trees in front of us. The only sound made was the whoosh of wind that was rattling the trees, and also the billow of the black cloaks that seemed to come into view, hoods up like your average dementor. I'd have taken one of those over a member of the Volturi guard. Dementors suck out your soul, too bad I didn't have one. Maybe.

Caius stood beside him with the Volturi guard congregating in a line slightly behind them. I saw it was a fair fight--eight against two. Aro was the first to speak.

"Ah, Edward. Nice to see you again, and...Rosalie?" Rosalie smirked before she answered.

"Yes." Very blunt. Aro was taken aback by her lack of respect, and I didn't want it to be Rosalie's mouth that got us killed.

"What do we owe this pleasure, Aro?" I didn't bow down, or mock him. I simply stood and spoke as I would to anyone who I merely acknowledged the presence of. Jasper would say I was tense and on guard, with a disinterested voice and a blank face. A poker face.

"Well, really I need to speak with all of you. Where is Carlisle?" Yes, he wanted to speak with all of us, or just kill us all together. Quick and clean.

"What do you want, Aro?" He smiled and I could hear his thoughts. _Powerful and unnerving. You're avoiding the question, Edward._I smiled back. Rosalie was by my side now, but I kept my eyes on Aro's. My lips were pressed together in a straight line, my eyes fixed to his burgundy ones.

_You won't tell us, will you?_

"If I don't?" His eyes flicked to Rosalie momentarily, then they came back to mine.

_We torture it out of her._

Alice's plan was back firing completely. She may have believed we were better without our other halves, but it wasn't true. If it was Bella here, I would do the same. I would not let Rosalie get tortured, I'd die first.

"No." A growl rumbled from my chest. It was low, but menacing, a warning.

"Edward, what is it?" Rosalie asked, touching my shoulder and keeping her eyes on Felix, who seemed to be itching to make a move.

"He wants to torture the information out of you." My eyes were still on Aro as he stood completely still, but with a wry smile plastered on his face.

"He can try," she sneered and crouched automatically. Felix was in front of Aro now, crouching and growling at Rosalie. I was stuck half way between standing in front of Rosalie and telling her to calm down. Felix was ready to attack, but Aro didn't want him to. Yet.

It all depended on whether Felix could control himself. I just didn't know.

"Felix, get back now. The girl means no harm." A look of disgust crossed his face, his forehead was tensed. Even when Felix was out of the way, Rosalie never moved out of position. I didn't know whether to get her to move or not.

"We are not here to kill," Aro stated. I could hear the protests coming mainly from Felix. Aro raised his right arm and he was silent once again. I glanced back at Demetri, his eyes were indifferent. If we attacked, he would. If we remained still, he would. Either way, he didn't care of the outcome. It was our choice. Aro's voice snapped my eyes away from Demetri.

"However, there is a lot you can do to a vampire without killing him." I was thinking about Jane, but she wasn't here.

"Pity you didn't bring Jane," Rosalie spoke. Aro's face twisted in rage, but it was gone as soon as it had emerged. Where was Jane? Aro didn't seem pleased to hear her name spoken. Was she dead? Did she dismiss her orders?

"Why are you here, Aro?" I asked for the third time in the space of minutes.

"Things didn't go as planned. We were going to turn Bella ourselves and test her power. If she was useless, we'd dispose of her, like we do with a lot of powerless newborns. If she was powerful, she would work for us."

"And you're sure Bella would have worked for you without putting up a fight?" Rosalie mocked. I couldn't argue. I had every faith that Bella would rather die, or put up a fight, than work for the Volturi. Even if she was a newborn. If the feelings are strong enough, the nature can be conquered. We had all proved that. Rosalie's situation was probably the closest to Bella's, and she had never drank human blood.

She knew Royce as a human, and remembered him. She went to get revenge, but remained 'conscious' after her change. She may have been stronger, faster, and more beautiful, but she was still Rosalie. She kept her human emotions due to the trauma of her final human minutes. Bella wouldn't give up.

Aro didn't answer Rosalie. He held out his hand to her. "Don't touch his hand Rosalie," I stated and stepped in front of her.

"We have ways of making her do it, Edward. Step in the way, and it gets messy. Step out of the way, and it's your choice." His eyes held the same indifference of Demetri's, but there was something else behind them.

"Except it isn't." I replied.

"No, but it's easier for the both of us." He had a point. I stepped aside.

Rosalie hesitated and looked at Aro's face, and then to his outstretched hand. She then glanced back to me. I nodded but said, "Be careful." I didn't mean it in the physical sense. I meant for her to try and be careful with her thoughts. I doubt it would help, but it made it slightly easier to back down from Aro. Rosalie nodded, her golden eyes meeting mine. She understood.

Aro's thin, bony hand clasped around Rosalie's feminine hand. Aro looked more breakable, his skin translucent and papery, stretched over blue veins. But he was still as impenetrable as any of us. Rosalie's shoulders were tensed, and a smile spread across Aro's features. He let go of her hand, and she moved back towards me, taking my hand in her own. To remove the feel of Aro, or for mere comfort after his intrusion.

"So, you were heading for Volterra? On a rescue mission? How fascinating." His whole face seemed to light up at the prospect. He was hiding something.

Rosalie was almost shivering, my hand was gripping hers tightly.

"Aro, why didn't things go as planned in Volterra?" I asked confidently. He seemed taken back, as though I should have forgotten. He had hoped for his diversion to work, I knew that much without his thoughts. He sighed.

"I think you deserve to know."

"Know what?" Rosalie hissed suddenly. I tightened my grip on her hand, and forced her behind me. I knew she wouldn't run, but I'd try my hardest to stop her getting hurt.

"No, Edward, release your sibling. If she attacks one of us, it will be her own undoing." His tone was full of humor, he was mocking us. I knew exactly why he didn't want me killed, if he could help it. He still thought I'd be interested in working in Volterra. Even after threatening my family and kidnapping Bella, he still believed I'd change my mind. He was sick and twisted, which proved why I had denied.

I felt the anger building in my chest, which seemed to spread to my limbs. I was losing it, I wanted to tear him into shreds.

Before I could comprehend what was happening, Rosalie was already reaching Aro herself. With me no longer holding her, she had been pushed over the edge. She almost reached his throat, but then fell to the ground. She was still and unmoving. My first thoughts were of Jane, but she wasn't here, and Rosalie would be twitching at the least.

I went for the closest vampire, Felix. I felt strong arms tighten across my chest, but then let go. The strangest sensation filled my senses and floated over my body like a cloud. I was sinking into blackness. Fast.

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**A/N: Okay, the Dementor thing - think Harry Potter - JKR.**

**Next chapter you are going to hate me...we are going back to Bella. You might want to remind yourselves of where Bella is right now...(chapter 8 after the 'Jane thing')**

**Oh, and I know it's irrelevant, but I got locked in the living room yesterday, and I'm saying thank you to someone on here who helped me escape...**

**Review please!!!**


	11. Chapter 11 Adele's Promise

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

**Thanks to everyone reading and enjoying this story! And wifey (xparawhorextwerdx) I haven't heard from you in around 12 hours...I'm worried!**

**On with the show...story...**

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**Chapter 11 - Adele's Promise**

**BPOV**

Everything seemed so surreal. One minute I was with Edward and the rest of the family, rested and happy. But now, I was in some sort of dungeon being guarded by Jane. I wasn't sure which was worse, knowing I might die, or knowing that Jane didn't want to hurt me. It was a shock to the system. I'd have much rather have had a blow to the head.

If Jane had eaten me, to put it in the best way possible, then I wouldn't have to suffer through this, but then again, I'd never see Edward again. Maybe I still wouldn't?

I couldn't stop the tears that flowed freely down my cheeks. The rush of salty water just kept pouring. I'd reached my limit of pain for an entire lifetime, and my brave front was now crumbling into dust. _Weak, vulnerable human. Weak, vulnerable human that will never see Edward again._ I continued to cry, my arms shielding my face from the glare of the lighting, and also the glare of prying eyes.

"You bitch! Look what you've done!" That voice pushed through to me for an instant, and I raised my face a few inches, to see what was happening.

It was Adele. Adele was shouting, shouting at Jane. Jane was sat away from us, by the fire, her face hidden. She didn't answer or move. It was like she was a frozen statue.

Adele's face turned away from the back of the vampire, and she came face to face with me. She had a look in her eyes, a look that said she understood me. She didn't know me, but she understood my pain. I think she did. That hurt more, and I felt deep, sobbing sounds coming from my throat.

Her arm reached out to me, and I hesitated for a moment. Would it just eat me up inside to have someone show me love when I thought that emotion was lost? I didn't know, so I took her hand anyway.

"It'll be okay, Bella, I promise." Her eyes were sincere, as if she really believed we would get out of this.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Adele." My voice sounded harsh, but I hadn't meant it to. Emotions never work in the way you plan them to. I sighed and wiped some of the wet from my face, which felt tight. I was weak and hungry, but none of that mattered now.

Adele's face had moved from anger, to pity, and now to hurt with one simple statement. I wanted to take it back, but the damage had been done. I had to say something, the air was stagnant with emotion, and silence was doing none of us any good.

"Why were you shouting at Jane?" I hugged my knees close to my chest when I asked. I watched her facial expression change to a puzzled look.

"She hurt you, you were crying because of her." Her tone almost made it sound like a question.

"No, it wasn't Jane. I-I was just thinking about Edward, and about myself."

"How so?" she asked. I glanced in Jane's direction, she was facing the fire and hadn't moved. She was almost invisible to the room because of her lack of life.

"I..," I sighed and took a deep breath, "I might never see Edward again, and it hurts. It doesn't just hurt because of that, but it also hurts because I'm human." I looked into Adele's sea-blue eyes and tried to hold them. If I dropped my head, I'd start crying again.

"I don't fully understand, Bella." Her voice was light, almost as soothing as Alice or Esme's voice. Her hair was golden, but not as light and full as Rosalie's, but she was just as beautiful, but for different reasons. Her hair was probably where their similarities ended.

"If I was a vampire, then I wouldn't be in this mess, and even if I was, and I was put into one of these cells, I could escape." I took a piece of my chocolate brown hair and rubbed it between my fingers, looking at the stone floor at last. Droplets of water were falling against the stone, and it took me a second to realise I was crying again. I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand and clenched my jaw, willing myself to hold it together.

"Don't beat yourself up about it, Bella. There is always a reason for the situations we are put into. Never forget that. And there is always an answer." I studied her face, her expression was unreadable, but she glanced over to Jane.

As if she knew someone was looking at her, Jane turned her head slightly, looking at us through her peripheral vision. She didn't speak, she simply looked at us, her face blank. Then she spoke.

"Bella, you think you could escape, if you were a vampire?" Her tone was questioning my logic.

"I, if I was in one of these cells, then yes." My voice was still shaky and sounded hoarse.

"Ask your friend what she thinks about that." Jane turned her head to Adele, and smiled. A smile that proves that looks can be deceiving. She looked like a princess, a harmless princess. This smile was anything but harmless.

"Adele?" I asked and she shrugged.

"They are the Volturi, Bella, the stuff of nightmares. Nightmares don't care how strong you are." She shook her head and glared at Jane.

"Even if you were a vampire, Bella, I doubt they would be so careless to put you in one of these cells. Your best chance of escape is as a human." Jane looked sorrowful.

"You speak like it's from personal experience, Jane." Adele said, softly.

"Maybe it is."

We went silent then. Corin returned and Jane left abruptly. Corin sat by the fire, but kept his eyes on me. If I moved an inch, he would twitch, as though about to act.

I closed my eyes and tried to drift off into another world. A peaceful world. But I couldn't. I turned my head to the side and noticed that Corin's eyes had closed, and so had Adele's. I panicked.

"Adele?!" I shouted at fumbled closer to the bars. Adele's eyes shot open, as did Corin's. Corin glided closer and bent down in front of me.

"Didn't you see the beach? Didn't you smell the salty air, or feel the hot sand beneath your feet?" he asked, and I was puzzled.

"I didn't see anything. I saw Adele close her eyes, and then-" Something clicked. Jane had told me about Corin's power, and he had used it on Adele, and possibly me. Of course, I was scared to know that Corin's powers didn't work on me. The logic was backwards, but that's how I felt.

"I thought Aro was bluffing, or going senile after so many centuries in this old city. But he spoke the truth. You can really shield against his power? And Jane's?" He seemed almost giddy, intrigued. Like I was a scientific discovery.

"Hmm." I replied. But I moved away from the bars. I didn't like being so close to him, eve if he could block the smell of my blood. He was still dangerous. I preferred Jane.

"I must tell Aro. He will want to test more powers on you. This is astounding." He stood up swiftly and left the room. I was shivering and terrified. I didn't want to be tested. I didn't like the sound of that.

"Bella," Adele whispered and looked towards the door. It was closed, but the alarm was deactivated. Corin had been foolish enough to leave us unguarded, so that the alarm couldn't be re-activated.

"They underestimate humans." I stated, but couldn't stop myself from grinning. We were still in a precarious position, but I couldn't help it. My mother would say I was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Emmett would say it was a shit-eating grin.

Suddenly, there was a thud on the other side of the locked door, and it crashed open. Why use keys if you can do that?

"Adele!" A deep voice shouted, a voice I recognised. His movements were rapid and he was bending the bars of Adele's cell, and taking her into his arms.

"Max?" I asked. Amazed.

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**A/N: Read and review please!**

**I can't really top that ending, but I will try with the next chapter. Will Jane catch them? dun dun dun...**


	12. Chapter 12 The Great Escape

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to le great SM**

**Thanks to everyone reading and reviewing and liking this story. It's mad. Oh, and shoutouts to my friendies xparawhorextwerd, dreaming, LyndsiAmanda, EclipsedbyJacob, CoyotegurlNikki...and everyone else...**

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**Chapter 12 - The Great Escape**

_"Max?" I asked. Amazed._

He put Adele down outside of the cell, and she regained composure and stretched her back. Spending days sat on a floor can be crippling. He was wearing a pair of scruffy jeans and a t-shirt, but no shoes. I suppose they weren't needed. He looked a mess. Like he had been on a building site, but he was completely unharmed. He bent the bars of my cell like they were plasticine, and he lifted me out carefully. He was warm and musky and comforting. Strange, since the last time I saw him, he kidnapped me.

He put me down and my legs were shaky. It took me a few minutes to be able to walk without falling down at every step. I was usually better than that.

"Max, how?" Adele asked. Her eyes were full of love and adoration for Max, and it felt wrong to watch them look at each other like that. Like I was invading their privacy. The look, it was...too intimate for words.

"Later, we have to get out of here." He moved us both back, away from the wall, and he brought his fist back behind his head. The muscles in his arm were tense and almost stretching against his light skin. As though in slow motion, his fist hit the concrete, and the floor trembled, causing me to fall, and drag Adele down with me.

"Ouch!" I shouted, my legs twisted underneath my body as I fell, and Adele fell on top of me, increasing the weight on my legs.

"Sorry, Bella," Adele said, and lifted herself off me. She helped pull me to my feet, and I noticed my shins were scraped, the skin almost peeled. It reminded me of the way a fish slice would cut through cheese. But the cuts were thin and dotted about, more like a grater. At least I knew how sharp the stones on the ground could be.

I looked past Adele to Max, who was pulling pieces of concrete out of the wall like foam, making a big enough hole for us to climb through. Adele ran through first, but I was too hurt to run, and I tried to limp, but the pain was too much. My legs bent underneath me and I fell to the floor. I tried to crawl forward slowly, panting heavily because of the pain. Max picked me up and hoisted me onto his shoulder, my legs pinned to his chest, and my chin touching his back. Then he started to walk through the hole, which led into the sewers.

I was still panicking, but I thought we were safe. That we'd escape. I glanced back to the room with the cells, and saw a streak of blonde hair. My heart skipped a beat and I felt dazed, but somehow managed to speak. Maybe it was the rush of adrenaline going through my system?

"Max, Max, Max!" He was concentrating on getting us out safely, ignoring my panic. My voice was strangled, like I was drowning, but not in water, in panic.

Jane stepped through the hole.

"Stop!" she shouted, and Max fell still. He obviously knew who was standing behind him, and he had obviously felt her power. I looked up to Jane's face, which was tense. There were lines between her eyebrows, and her eyes kept switching between us and the door which led to the corridor. She was hesitating and didn't know what to do. If she really was good, she'd come with us, buy us time. If not, she would floor Max or get reinforcements.

At this moment, I was unsure of what she would do. I looked into her eyes when they turned back to us and I mouthed, "Please." She took a step towards the door leading into the corridor and then she looked back at me. I felt my chest tighten at the thought of her betrayal. I knew what I wanted to happen, but I couldn't rely on her.

I saw something move behind her eyes, but nothing did. It was more of a change of expression. Usually, she had the same face, the same eyes, even when smiling it seemed like she was hiding something. But now, she wasn't hiding anything, but that confused me even more. She looked defeated.

She ran towards us in a blur, and I felt cold arms brush against my skin.

"Go, Max, I'll carry her." Max hesitated and then began to run after Adele. I knew that Max would rather save his wife than me, but I still resented him for letting me go so easily. I could have believed that he trusted Jane, but I wasn't as naive as people thought. I may have been weak compared to the supernatural beings I was hanging around with, but I could handle it. I chose what life to be dragged into. Although dragged doesn't quite cover it. Dragged would imply that I came in kicking and screaming. I floated in on my own. Maybe I was naive after all. Believing that love could conquer all. But I still believed it.

For a moment, I thought Jane would take me back to the cells, but she didn't. Her face was masked again, like a switch she could turn on and off. It was either inherited through becoming a vampire, or simply through centuries of practice.

She followed Max and Adele. Her speed increased until everything around me seemed like a distant blur. My hair was flying wildly and I tightened my grip around Jane's neck. My heart was drumming in my throat like a ball that I could play with. I was worried about the blood on my legs, but Jane seemed to not notice. She was either very controlled, or had just eaten. That thought made me gulp back a lump in my throat. I was in close proximity with a human-blood drinking vampire. I had my arms wrapped around her neck, and my neck was close to her mouth. Almost as close as it had been in the cell. I closed my eyes and prayed as she ran.

Suddenly, the wind seemed to slow and I realised we were stopping. Adele and Max had waited for us, and Adele was climbing up a ladder, which would bring us back to the real world. Max flew up the steps, not wanting to put himself too close to the vampire. The look on his face almost made me laugh. His eyes were wide with surprise, his forehead creased, but not with the usual tension. Jane carried me up the first few steps, before passing me to Max. I felt like a dead weight, an anchor being dragged along, slowing everyone down.

"Shit," Max said as he put me down on the cobbled pavement. My balance was getting better, and my legs were now numb but tingling. It could have been shock or terror that had caused the numbness and lack of pain, or it could just be that the pain was now subsiding.

Max lifted Adele up into his arms effortlessly and started running, he was running back in the direction that we had come from when we were with Heidi. Whatever Max had heard was not good. Jane had heard it as well, I assumed some of the guard had found us gone.

"Sorry about this," Jane whispered, but loud enough for me to hear. I was airbourne for a split second, and then Jane was running again, with me on her back. I was used to being carried by vampires as such, but it never ceased to amaze me. Jane was around the same size as Alice, both were smaller than me and probably weighed less than me, but they could carry me effortlessly and run at incredible speeds at the same time.

Jane was fast, but not as fast as Edward. That thought made my chest tight. I was scared, no, terrified, and Edward wasn't here. I wondered where we were going, and if I'd ever see Edward again. With me leaving Volterra, would that mean instant death to the Cullen's? I started to panic, all I could hear was the whoosh of air moving too quickly through my lungs, and the rapid pounding of blood in my ears, making them almost ring.

I heard sounds, sounds that I couldn't comprehend at first. They were like nothing I had ever heard before. Shrieking. The screams were coming thick and fast, as fast as I was drawing breath. I realised then, that the screams were coming from me. I passed out before I could scream out parts of myself.

"Bella, Bella! Wake up, Bella, wake up!" My head was foggy and my throat was dry and sore. I let out a gasp of pain and my voice was croaky. A beautiful face was clouding my vision. I thought of Edward at first, but then I realised what had happened. It couldn't be Edward. Edward was in Forks.

I tried to sit up but there wasn't much room, and my head started spinning. My legs were rested across Adele's lap, she was leaning over me, her soft hands pressed against my hair. I took a deep breath and could smell the leather interior of what we were inside of. I could hear the distant growl of the engine, we were speeding, that much I could tell.

"W-what?" I said, more to myself than anyone else. I was completely confused. I ran my hands down my face and took another deep breath. Adele was staring at me like I was a dog that had done an extraordinary trick of some sort. Or maybe I was just crazy. I shook my head and managed to at least lift myself into a sitting position.

Jane was driving and Max was sat uncomfortably next to her. I looked back to Adele who was hanging on to my every movement.

"What is going on?" I finally managed to ask. Adele opened her mouth, but closed it when Max spoke.

"We're going back to Alaska. That's where our pack is, there is a coven nearby, Jane wants to take you to them."

"The Denali coven?" I asked, stunned. Of all the places to go in the world, this was the last place I would've thought of. Jane spoke this time.

"Max and Adele are going home, Bella. I can't take you back to Forks, you know that. Not to mention I could be killed for betraying the Volturi like this. I'll take you to the Denali coven and explain the situation. Then we go from there. We'll try and contact the Cullen's if we can."

I felt my chest tighten and split and crumble into tiny pieces. Maybe I should have been happy to be free of the Volturi, maybe I should have been happy to finally be getting closer to the Cullen's, but I wasn't.

Jane knew the Volturi better than any of us, she has lived with them for a long time. If Jane thinks it isn't safe to go back to Forks, that means that the Cullens are in danger.

"Charlie!" I shouted and screamed. "Charlie, Charlie!" I was now struggling against Adele.

"Who? Bella, calm down! Who are you talking about? Who's Charlie?" Adele was trying her best soothing voice, which was strained as she struggled to hold me.

"My dad. My daddy. Daddy..." I started sobbing, deep and hard. The tears flowed and I couldn't stop them. Whenever I seem to find some form of hope, it gets squashed down and replaced with more pain.

The tears stopped when we reached the airport, not because I had quenched the pain, or rid of it, but because I was tired and drained. The pain was still there, like a flame in my heart, burning me away, inch by inch.

"Jane," I croaked, "do they know who Charlie is?" She lifted me into her arms and as the car door slammed shut, I realised the car belonged to the Volturi. I tried to capture her eyes with my own, but she was looking away.

"Damn it. Damn it all to hell. Jane, look at me!" Anger was replacing the grief, and I hoped I could hang on to that anger. Angry, I could function. I could function with anything other than sorrow.

"I'll be honest with you, Bella. I don't think they know about Charlie. We know little about family units, but if they try, which they will, then Charlie might be in trouble."

I think my face showed as much horror as I felt, because she spoke again.

"I'm hopeful it won't come to that, Bella. The Volturi have enough to deal with..." She stopped. I knew that what ever she was going to say would not help me in the least. I knew that she was going to mention the Cullen's. I was glad she didn't continue. It was one thing to think something, but once that something is spoken, it becomes all the more real.

"Max, get the brown bag out of the trunk. There are passports in there, and there should be some money. Adele can use Chelsea's. Bella can go with Heidi's passport. Max with Corin's. I think they are the closest matches we can get. I hope this works."

I gulped. There was no way I could pass for Heidi, her face was nothing like mine, the similarities ended at the hair.

"What if we can't pull this off?" I asked Jane.

"Then we are stuck here, like lambs to the slaughter." I gulped and nodded. My whole body was shivering, and it wasn't even cold.

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**A/N: Read and review, you can ask me anything...maybe...**


	13. Chapter 13 Coincidence

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer**

**I just want to say a little thank you to everyone reading this story, and also to my friends: xparawhorextwerdx, dreaming, Pixieyow, Katikittie, LyndsiAmanda, EclipsedbyJacob...**

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**Chapter 13 - Coincidence**

We started to walk towards the airport and Max stopped abruptly. I looked around. If Max sensed something dangerous, it could only be the Volturi. I started shaking and Jane moved closer, shielding me from the front of the airport. I heard a rumble in her chest, not quite a growl, but almost. I don't think any of the people walking past us in both directions noticed anything out of the ordinary. They would only notice if they were looking for something. Since when do people start looking for creatures that go against the laws of nature anyway? At least that didn't worry me. I knew what happened to humans who got involved in a world in which they didn't belong. I was one of them, after all.

"They are here already," Max stated and walked closer to me and Jane, keeping the four of us in a close group.

"Who?" I asked, although I was pretty sure I knew the answer.

"The Volturi. They are inside, I could smell their disgustingly sweet scent...no offence Jane."

"None taken." I looked at Adele who was probably more astonished than I was by Max's sudden friendship, or at least acceptance, of Jane. I just shrugged. Desperate times.

"Well, we can't go in there then, are there any hotels nearby? That we can wait in until..." Adele paused to think but Jane interrupted her thoughts.

"We will have to wait until tomorrow. There are two possible reasons why they are in there. They are either going to Forks, or looking for us. Or both."

"Both it is." I said.

"Why is it always the worst case scenario with you guys?" Max asked, but he was in agreement. Jane and I spoke together, but said different things.

"I know them."

"Pessimism can save your butt."

It came out as "I know them can save your butt" so we repeated ourselves.

"I know them, " Jane said bleakly.

"Pessimism can save your butt," I said and shrugged.

"So what's the plan then?" Adele asked. Max and Jane looked at me, expecting me to come up with a plan. I was frightened as it was and wasn't sure I could come up with anything helpful, but I tried.

"We stay in a hotel nearby until morning, then get a flight to Alaska?" It came out as a question. Jane nodded and then spoke.

"We can do that, but I'll come back when we've found a hotel, I want to see how many of them are in the airport. Some will be searching Volterra for the missing prisoners, I want to know how many we have on our backs."

"They will be searching for you as well Jane." I said when I heard her say "Prisoners."

"I'll be one of the prisoners. They don't take betrayal mildly. It's a death sentence." I gulped and nodded.

Adele waved down a taxi and we all climbed in, asking to be taken to the nearest hotel. The scenery would have been enjoyable if I wasn't in danger and terrified out of my skin. Max sat next to the driver and I was in the middle of the back seat, with Adele and Jane on either side.

I glanced out of the window at the setting sun. Twilight seemed to last a long time here, as if the sun was giving up the fight slowly, struggling to keep the darkness at bay. The light was slowly fading.

I closed my eyes and thought of Edward. His heavenly voice preserved in my mind, but it was nothing compared to the real Edward.

_"It's twilight, it's the safest time of day for us. The easiest time. But also the saddest, in a way...the end of another day, the return of the night."_

I whispered to myself, "I like the night. Without the dark, we'd never see the stars."

When I opened my eyes, the sun had finally given up it's fight for the night, and darkness had spread a dark blue wash over the sky. Looking closely, I could see small specks, glittering in the sky. The stars.

~*~

"Is she okay?" I heard Max ask Adele. My eyes were open, but all I could see were the glittering specks in the sky.

"Shh." Was her response.

It took around an hour to find a hotel that was as secluded as was possible for the night, safe enough wouldn't sound right, there was no place on Earth that would be safe from the Volturi. It would be like a game of hide and seek that we would lose. And the phrase "you can run but you can't hide" didn't work. We couldn't out run them, and we were pushing it trying to hide for a day.

We all stayed in a single room with two beds. Jane didn't sleep, and I doubted anyone else would anyway. I trusted Jane as far as I could, but I couldn't trust her enough to sleep in the same room as her.

Despite how I felt, my body had other ideas. Jane was staring out of the window and Max and Adele were sat on one of the beds whispering to each other. I sunk myself into the mattress and closed my eyes. Five minutes wouldn't hurt.

~*~

My eyes opened slowly. I thought I had been asleep for five minutes, but when I sat up, the sky outside had become the colour of a strange fire. Max and Adele were awake, and eating burgers.

"About time, Bella," Jane said, "try and eat something before we go." I nodded and Max passed me some of the processed meat. As I ate, my stomach gurgled and almost hurt. I hadn't eaten in over a day and my stomach was having trouble trying to adjust to the food. I felt the heat rise in my cheeks but I still finished the burger.

We left the hotel early, sunrise. Another cab was called. I wondered why we didn't just use the car we had taken from the Volturi, but Jane wanted to be safe. Leaving it at the airport yesterday would make them think we were in the airport yesterday, and were now on our way somewhere.

The journey back to the airport was quicker, because it was a straight drive, but longer in my mind, because of the anticipation. I couldn't wait to get out, and be closer to home.

We stepped out of the cab and walked towards the entrance of the airport, I was getting deja vu. Max just stood there, but this time he seemed less tense, but more astonished. I turned to Jane, who was stood in amazement, but she didn't stand protectively in front of me. Adele was as confused as I was.

I walked forward and nearly fell over, but this wasn't because of my lack of co-ordination. Alice was stood near the entrance, and she looked as shocked as we were.

Without thinking, I ran towards her. I didn't care what Jane, Adele or Max were doing right this minute. Alice, Alice, Alice...she was here!

I ran into her stone arms and nearly winded myself. She looked at me for a bit too long, but I didn't mind.

"You look like hell, Bella." Her voice was like the bells of heaven to my ears.

"Nice to see you too, Alice." I started crying. Alice just held me, but she tensed slightly. I lifted my head from her shoulder and turned around. Jane, Adele and Max were walking towards us.

Alice pushed me behind her and crouched defensively, growling. In a blur, three other figures appeared in front of me. Emmett, Jasper and Carlisle. My heart started to beat frantically. If these four were here, that meant that Edward was inside with Esme and Rosalie. I took a step further to the entrance, but Alice took my hand.

"Alice! Get off, I need to see Edward." I struggled against her hold, although I had no chance of fighting my way out of her vice-like hold.

Carlisle's voice echoed through my struggling. He was saying something, so I stopped struggling and focused.

"Bella, who are these people, with Jane?" Carlisle asked.

"Adele and Max." I replied.

"Are they a threat?" Jasper asked from the left, he was still crouched, he was the only one still crouching.

"No...no, they helped me escape."

Jasper maintained his defensive crouch none-the-less. He only straightened up when Alice told him to. Nice to see who wears the proverbial trousers in their relationship.

Alice let go of my hand and walked towards Adele. Max stepped in front of her.

"You're a shape-shifter," she said and then stepped around him to reach Adele. Adele was slightly frightened. But she seemed more at ease than she was with the Volturi, minus Jane.

"...and you...you're human." Alice looked puzzled. Max stepped towards her again, and Jasper was suddenly next to his wife, like he had popped out of mid-air.

I walked through the vampires and stood next to Adele before I tried to fix the confusion.

"Max was the one who took me, but he only took me because the Volturi had his wife, this is his wife. Jane betrayed the Volturi and we were on our way to Denali." I took a breath. I was glad they were vampires, they could understand my fast blurb and they seemed to accept it. As though everything made sense. That was strangely easy. Alice was still skeptical, but she was probably concerned because she couldn't 'see' when she was close to a shape-shifter.

We started to walk back towards the airport, as Esme was walking out. My heart started to speed up again, and I ran into her arms. I felt my chest vibrate and realised I was sobbing again. No, I wasn't. It was Esme who was sobbing.

"It's okay Esme, I'm here, I'm safe." I tried to reassure her.

"_You_ are, Bella," she said simply and then shook her head. Her eyes were almost red but she couldn't cry tears.

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**A/N: Read and review.**

**Any questions, don't hesitate to ask.**


	14. Chapter 14 The Truth

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

**Thank you to everyone reading this story and taking the time to review! And also shoutouts to my wifey who inspires me and makes me realise that I can do things and only think I can't. This ones a little shorter.**

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**Chapter 14 - The Truth**

We all sat down inside the airport and tried to understand everything. Carlisle was speaking to Max and Jane, Adele was speaking to Alice, and I sat further away from everyone, with Esme. I knew the others would hear me, but it was the most privacy we could get.

"Esme, where are Edward and Rosalie?" I asked, but I knew that the answer would be one I didn't want to hear. The way she sat, the way she spoke outside...it all set alarm bells ringing inside my head.

Esme looked at me for a second, as though buying time, but she didn't need it. Her hand brushed back a strand of my hair slowly, then it rested against my cheek, the icy touch of her skin comforting, reminding me of Edward. That first kiss.

_And he took my face in his hands again._

_I couldn't breathe._

_He hesitated--not in the normal way, the human way._

_And then his cold, marble lips pressed very softly against mine._

Esme's voice brought me back into reality, and I tried very hard to not cry right there, in front of Esme.

"We were unsure of what to do at first, until Alice had a vision. That must have been when you all escaped...Anyway, we found out that the Volturi would be paying us another visit. We decided to come and rescue you, but it obviously wasn't needed." As she finished speaking, her tone seemed lighter, as though she was amused.

"Obviously not," I said and she smiled briefly.

"We were going to meet up, but then Rosalie and Edward didn't turn up. They were the last pair to leave the house. Alice saw them taken by the Volturi, but they won't be harmed, or so she says. Aro wants the rest of us before he makes any decisions, or so we think."

"So, are we going back in there then? The lions den?" I asked, my eyes widening involuntarily at the thought.

"No, no, no, you are going to stay with the Denali's, until this is all fixed." I thought she was being overly confident, but I wouldn't say. I wanted to see Edward, I wanted to save him, but she had a point.

If I went back, I'd just be cannon fodder. There was nothing I could do to help and there was nothing I could do to stop six vampires and a shape shifter from sending me to Alaska. I nodded in defeat and turned my head back to the rest of our group.

Carlisle, Max and Alice were now talking, and as I moved closer, I caught parts of the conversation.

"But the Volturi know where you live, Max."

"No, they don't, they took us from Paris. We were on holiday and got caught in between a bunch of savage vampires, until a select number of Volturi guards turned up and set them on fire..."

"We should all go."

"But Edward-"

"Edward and Rosalie will be fine until we show up, Carlisle." Alice's voice was harsh and her tone almost angry.

I moved away from the group and sat on one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs until everyone had stopped squabbling.

Jane came to sit next to me at one point, although I didn't notice until she said my name.

"Bella, are you okay?" she asked.

"I don't know." It was as honest as I could be.

Jane sat very still next to me, as though she wasn't there. as though she was unconscious, but she was very aware of everything happening. I felt jealous. I was the useless one, I was the human.

I got up out of the chair and went to sit next to Adele, seeing as she was also human, but probably more useful than me. At least she can walk on a flat surface without it being hazardous to her own health.

Jasper, Emmett and Esme had joined the conversation with Max, Carlisle and Alice. Jane was still sat separately but aware of everything, and I sat next to Adele.

I took her hand in my own and she turned to face me. She seemed relieved, her eyes brighter than they were before. I thought her eyes were stunning and sea-blue, but now...they were like two brilliant jewels, sparkling, glittering.

I took a sharp intake of breath and looked down to the floor. Adele didn't say anything, she probably had that affect on many people. After a few more seconds had passed, she finally spoke.

"Bella, everything will be okay. It might not seem that way, but look how far we have come. Edward is stronger than you think, he'll be safe."

Hearing Adele talk about Edward pushed me over the edge. It was like a dam bursting. The hot tears ran down my cheeks and animalistic noises were coming from my throat. Adele hugged me tightly to her chest, and tried to soothe me, but the more someone tried to comfort me, the more I cried.

Jane came over and took one of my hands in her own. I wasn't looking at Jane though, but I knew it was her. I was looking at Adele, and her expression was anything but lovely. She didn't trust Jane.

"Let me take her to the bathroom, Adele. She needs to clean up before we go anywhere." Adele stood up to protest, but sighed and nodded. The plastic chair creaked as she sat back down and tried to lean back. I looked at Jane, who was pulling me up to stand, and then she led me away from the other vampires.

We found the bathroom and went inside. It was empty, and everything was a sickly white colour, reminding me of hospital. I walked over to one of the sinks and started filling it with hot water. Jane stood on the other side of the room.

"Bella, I know you think you're in the way." I looked up mid splash and let the water run through my fingers.

Jane glided over gracefully and grabbed some paper towels for me. I started to dry my face and neck.

"We can always change that," she said and smiled. The smile alone send shivers down my spine, and I moved a step back. I watched her feet take a slow step forward, mocking me. My lungs were almost in my throat and I was almost hyperventilating. I tried to calm down but the best I could do was stop my breathing getting any faster.

"Jane, I don't know what you're talking about," I snapped and started to turn around to leave.

I spun around in a blur and was suddenly pressed against her, her eyes looking up into mine. My wrist was in a vice-like grip in her hand, and I could feel the start of bruising. She wasn't using her strength, but I knew it was there. If she wanted to, she could snap my wrist like a bread stick.

"We both know what you want, Bella. Don't make this harder for yourself." Her voice was lower now, almost seductive.

"I admit that I'm a waste of space, and I admit that it would be better is I was a..."

"Vampire," she finished. I almost nodded, but I didn't. I didn't want to become a vampire in the bathroom of an airport. I didn't trust Jane to not kill me.

I wanted to scream, but no sound would come out. I felt pressure build up in my head as my breathing became faster and harsher.

"Jane!" I heard Alice growl, and then felt movement, but I couldn't pick up on any of it. The pressure grew, and I felt like I was underwater, just below the surface. I knew something was happening about an inch above the water, but I couldn't reach the surface. Then I started to sink further and fade into nothing.

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**A/N: BAHAHAHAHA! JANE! AHAHAHA!**

**Now, before you all jump out of your chairs and start attacking me with blow up hammers, Jane has a purpose. Okay, that wasn't a very good explanation...*runs away***

**Next chapter we are going back to Edward and Rosalie.**

**Read and review.**


	15. Chapter 15 Interrogation

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer**

**Thank you for all the support with this story. Shoutouts go to xparawhorextwerdx, EclipsedbyJacob, Lady Dragona, Dreaming...and everyone I've missed. I'm feeling generous, so this is up early.**

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**Chapter 15 - Interrogation**

I woke up. That sounded strange in itself. Vampires can't sleep, but whatever had happened had caused me to be unconscious in some way. I didn't know what had happened.

I tried to move, but I was pinned down to a chair. I looked around the room, the walls, the floor, the ceiling--were all black. It was just me tied to this chair with titanium. I was confident I could break the bars holding me, but something told me that it wouldn't be that easy.

I noticed movement and the door, which I presumed was the only door, opened on my left. In walked Demetri, Felix, Aro and Renata. Aro's face seemed tense, and he seemed to be in deep concentration to block his thoughts from me. Renata simply wondered why the hell I was here. Demetri and Felix had equal thoughts of wanting to kill me. I wondered why that was? Did it have something to do with Bella? Or something to do with Jane?

A smirk spread across my lips, much to the discomfort of Felix in particular. He wanted to kill me as soon as was possible, just because he saw me as a threat. That was nice to know. Here I was, in the middle of Volterra, surrounded by the Elite of the vampire world, and one of said vampires was _afraid_ of me.

I desperately wanted to know what was going on, and the only way I could possibly find out was to gain access to Aro's thoughts. It was clear none of his flunkies knew his plans. He needed a distraction, something to break his concentration for a few seconds.

"Looks like one of the guards can't handle being here," I stated nonchalantly.

Felix, guilty as charged, ran towards me in a blur of motion, but was hit out of my direction my Demetri. Aro lost where he was in reciting a book on integration and was irate, but he didn't blame me.

He still hoped he could persuade me to join him, but I'd rather die.

I also found that he was hoping to question me on the whereabouts of my family, but again, I wouldn't tell him. Another thought crossed his mind.

_Once I find out where Bella took Jane..._

Bella took Jane? How can Bella take a member of the Volturi guard? She's human. Then it dawned on me that where ever Bella was, Jane was, and the shape-shifter was. Had they helped her escape? Or are they going to do something to her, without the knowledge of Aro?

I was panicked, but I tried not to show it.

Felix and Demetri were sent out of the room, leaving me with Aro and Renata.

_Edward, I want you to explain everything to me, I want to know where the Cullen's are._

I perfected my blank face and replied, "I have no idea where my family are, and even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you." I thought of the original plan, and how they were coming to Volterra, they could already be here.

_Edward, we can do this the easy way, or the easier way..._

He was going to gain the information he needed using his 'talent'. He would take everything from the last time he touched me up until this second. I remained silent.

He approached me, Renata mirrored his actions, staying close to her master. He moved slowly, almost awkwardly and moved his hand over mine, which was clenched into a fist.

"Ah, how wonderful!" Aro pulled away and was jubilant. Corin and Afton entered the room then, and spoke in hushed voices to Aro.

"The blonde won't talk. We tried a lot of things, but nothing came out," Afton said and gave a sly grin. I looked into his mind and saw Rosalie being pinned down on her front and held by five vampires as she squirmed.

_"If you tell us where they are, we'll make this easy for you," Corin said._

_"If you don't, we have ways of making you talk." Afton moved over to Rosalie's head and put his teeth gently against her neck._

_"Fuck you," Rosalie sneered._

_Afton moved his mouth to her ear. "Gladly."_

_"Where are they?" Corin asked, ignoring both their remarks. Rosalie was trying to get free, kicking and screaming._

_"Go to hell," she said and screamed painfully. Afton had sunk his teeth into her neck._

"What have you done to her?!" I roared and broke free of the restraints. I moved towards Afton before anyone could stop me, and I ripped his arm clean off in anger. The screeching sound of the break was almost soothing. Only then did Corin and Renata hold me back. Aro was smiling.

"Afton, I'll go and see to Rosalie myself, but if you touch Edward in any way, I'll make sure your head is on a stick for the next century." Aro opened the door and left.

I was still struggling against Renata and Corin and Afton smirked at me. That nearly blew me off the edge, but he left the room, with his right hand clutching the dismembered left arm.

I sunk to the floor and imagined it engulfing me for the moment. Renata was talking to Corin lightly, but both were watching me closely like hawks.

"He'll get the arm fixed in no time," Corin said, "But the girl will bare those marks forever."

"How many times did he bite her?" Renata asked, and I felt my fists clench in anger.

"Only three times. Aro told us to detain her and see if we could get answers, he also told us not to hurt her physically but we got ahead of ourselves. It's been a long time since we've had the opportunity to torture a vampire. I expect Afton _will_end up with his head on a stick for disobeying Aro, and I think something will happen to everyone who was in the room with her."

I stood and turned in a second, ready to destroy the both of them. Corin for being sadistic, and Renata because I could.

The door opened and Aro stepped inside with Cauis, Demetri, Felix and Santiago.

"It seems that Rosalie's thoughts were much the same as yours--regarding the Cullen's," Aro spoke directly to me.

"I think we will keep you and your sister detained and guarded for now," He turned to Demetri, "I want you to track the area, and as soon as you find the rest of them, come back to me." Aro smiled before he turned to Corin. "Oh, and Corin, we need to have a talk."

Corin's face dropped and he looked like he was going to be sick. I smirked but still felt angry and bitter. I hoped I could see my sister soon. Then we could work on a plan to get out of here. It was a long shot, but to die trying was better than to sit and wait to die.

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**A/N: If you liked the chapter, or what to throw something at me, send me a review.**

**I had to do something evil, but it was sort of evened out with Edward, don't you think?**

**Back to Bella next chapter.**


	16. Chapter 16 First Steps

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer. **

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, this is sort of an extra, I'm feeling generous today. And I'm hoping my wifey doesn't find another weapon to use against me this chapter.**

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**Chapter 16 - First Steps**

**BPOV**

I felt cold hands brush against my face and my eyes fluttered open. Everything was blurred for a second, before my eyes adjusted to the harsh light.

"Bella?" A light voice asked. I realised it was Alice and I groaned.

"I should stop doing that. Every time I pass out I end up in a precarious position," I muttered.

I sat up and tried to balance myself. Alice had her arm steady on my back. I was sat in a small, white room on a small bed covered in a white sheet. Carlisle walked in followed by a doctor.

"Hello, Miss Swan, I'm Dr Robbie. Mr Cullen here informed me that you have a phobia of flying, which caused you to faint. I've given you some medication to help with the panic attacks, and seeing as you will be travelling with a doctor, I think you are safe to travel." He smiled and went over to his desk and signed some papers.

I looked at Alice and she must have noticed I was confused. She mouthed 'later' and helped me off the bed.

Outside, Esme was waiting with Max and Adele. Adele and Esme wrapped their arms around me and explained the basics of what was happening now.

"All of us will be travelling to Alaska. Max and Adele can go home, and we can inform the Denali coven and work out what to do next. Most of our plans are dependent on Alice's visions, but nothing else has happened yet." I nodded and walked over to the plastic chairs nearest to us.

"Jane?" I asked, slightly worried for her. I wasn't sure why I was worried, she could have killed me. But then again, she didn't.

"Emmett and Jasper are with her. She wouldn't tell us anything, it was lucky Adele told us you were in the bathroom, or Jane could have killed you." Esme spoke softly, smoothing my hair gently with her hand.

"No, she didn't want to kill me, I don't think she did. She wanted to change me, but I was worried, she doesn't have the strength to do it." I whispered with tears flowing down my cheeks.

"That was very foolish of her," Esme stated and stood up, "We must be going now, Bella. We need to use the time whilst we can." Her hand came out to mine and I shook my head. I could stand on my own.

I wobbled slightly, which made Alice reach out towards me, but I was fine. I batted her arm away like you would swat a fly. She giggled. Just like Alice.

~*~

We boarded the Cullen's private jet with little questions asked. It seems that the Cullen's had friends in high places, which I was glad of right now.

The jet was much the same as the one owned by the Volturi, except it seemed warmer and safer, merely by the presence of the Cullen's.

Jasper, Emmett and Jane were still out of sight. I was sat next to Alice and Adele. Adele had her eyes closed, but her breathing was too fast for her to be relaxed enough to sleep. I allowed my eyes to wander towards Esme and Carlisle. They were both talking, but their lips were moving so quickly, that it almost looked like they weren't moving at all.

I couldn't see Max, and I assumed that he was with the others. I pushed my head back against the seat and it reclined, much to my surprise. Alice helped me up and adjusted the seat for me. I started crying.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Alice asked. I didn't want to tell her that I felt like a complete mess. That everything that held my world together was crashing around me, I thought I could handle it. I thought I could get through everything without having to breakdown and ask for help, or just to talk about things. Then again, maybe I did need to talk about things?

Living with mom had been difficult in that sense. I tended to take care of her and keep my emotions in check, even though she is possibly one of the most insightful people I know. I didn't get on well with anyone in Phoenix, due to my antisocial behaviour. Books were easier to get along with, books don't have feelings, and books don't hurt your feelings. Not really anyway.

Forks was different. At first, I was a novelty--I thought that would wear off. It never has, or maybe that's just because people genuinely like me? Either way, it was easier to be around people in Forks. But I couldn't talk to anyone human about how I felt, because I might let something slip, but that didn't mean I couldn't talk to Alice.

The Cullen's were probably the kindest family I had ever met. I resented them for being so perfect and better than everybody else at first, but now, maybe I'm beginning to see them as people. Even if they aren't necessarily human. They were human once.

"Alice, why do you always keep me out of things? Not just you, but everyone. You let me get by on the bare minimum. I think today is possibly the most you have ever told me, but you're still holding back. I may be breakable, but I...," I sighed and started again. "What I'm trying to say is...If I'm to be part of this family, then shouldn't I be included in everything, and treated as such?"

Alice just looked at me for a moment. Then she smiled. "Bella, we treat you as close to a family member as we can, you_ are _family, but you're also human. If we treated you like we treat each other, then you'd miss most of our conversations and you could possibly get hurt."

"I know that. I mean, could you fill me in on everything in future. I feel like a dead weight as it is, it would be nice to know what's happening, so maybe I can help plan. Or know when to be out of the way." Most of what I was trying to get across came out as blurb, and I doubt even Alice could decipher 'Bella' code.

"I'll include you as much as I can, I wanted to before, but Edward is always trying to keep us quiet around you. Carlisle and him got into a huge argument last month about it. Carlisle let it drop though. Hmm." Alice's eyes twinkled before she gave me a mischievous grin. "You should talk to Edward if we get out of this alive. He wouldn't get mad at you, Bella. You have him wrapped around your little finger."

I smiled back at Alice. At least I had one thing off my chest. Just another hundred and one things left.

I looked at Adele, who's eyes were open, she was smiling. "I guess you caught all that?" I made it a question.

"Of course. I think that was very brave and if you need me for anything, I'd be glad to help." Adele hugged my shoulders with her left arm and squeezed gently.

~*~

"Bella, wake up, we're here." Alice's voice fluttered through my ears and I opened my eyes. "You fell asleep. We're on solid ground now, thought you might want to get up and out of this jet."

Adele had also been asleep, her hair was slightly tousled, but that was all you could tell from her rest. I was jealous. Carlisle and Esme came over to us, but Emmett, Jasper, Jane and Max were still out of sight.

"Tanya, Kate and Carmen should be here in about 20 minutes. They are all travelling in separate cars." Alice stated and turned to Adele, "I think it's best if you come with us as well. We would like all the information we can get." Adele nodded.

"Alice, where are the others?" I asked her as Esme and Carlisle left the aircraft. Adele was slightly behind them both.

"Well, we still don't want Jane near you and she agreed with us. She stayed in the cockpit with Emmett, Jasper and Max."

"Then who could possibly fly the jet?" I asked, puzzled.

Alice laughed before she replied, "Emmett and Jasper. There is a lot you don't know about us yet, Bella." She laughed again.

"I'm beginning to realise that," I replied. That was the truth.

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**A/N: Read and review!**

**So, we are about to meet the Denali coven. How will Tanya feel about meeting her rival? What about Irina?**


	17. Chapter 17 Red Satin And Denali

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just borrowing the characters.**

**Thanks to everyone reading and reviewing this story! And thanks to xparawhorextwerdx who never ceases to inspire me.**

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**Chapter 17 - Red Satin and Denali**

I felt like I knew the Denali's, but I hadn't even met them yet. I'd seen pictures, but pictures never do vampires much justice. There were three cars, as Alice predicted, lined up outside. A dark blue Mercedes, a red Vauxhall and a silver Jaguar. I guess all vampires liked speed.

All three of the Denali women walked over to me, each of them radiating so much beauty it made my chest hurt. The first one to approach me had strawberry blonde curls, and I knew this was Tanya. Her eyes were a light golden colour. It amazed me to finally meet other vampires who live the same lifestyle as the Cullen's.

"Hello, Bella, I'm Tanya. It's so nice to finally meet you." Tanya took my hand in her own and motioned to Kate and Carmen with her other hand. Both of them walked forward slowly, as if worried about scaring or intimidating me. Tanya had no such qualms.

"This is Kate," Tanya motioned to the other blonde, who's hair was poker straight and like corn silk. "And this is Carmen." The dark-haired vampire nodded her head and smiled at me.

After the brief introduction, Carlisle, Tanya, Kate and Carmen walked over towards the Jaguar and spoke to each other. I looked at Alice and raised both my eyebrows. She got the hint and mouthed, "later."

Tanya moved away from the group and walked back over in my direction. "Okay, I'm driving the Vauxhall VXR8. Kate has the Jaguar and Carmen has the merc. Esme, if you and Max would join Carlisle and Carmen...I think I can manage with the three girls." Her smile was perfect and sickly sweet all at the same time. It made me feel bad for ever thinking she was a bitch. Jealous much?

I assumed Jane, Jasper and Emmett had already got into the Jaguar, but I wasn't sure, the windows were tinted. Kate waved to Tanya and Carmen and was in the Jaguar and driving away before I could say 'vampire'.

Tanya opened the back door of the Vauxhall for me, Alice and Adele, and got into the drivers seat. Alice changed her mind about sitting in the back and was sat in the passenger seat before I could fasten my seat belt.

"How long is the drive?" I asked nobody in particular. "Just over three hours," Tanya replied before speeding off after Carmen in the mercedes.

~*~

For the past half an hour, no one had said a word, and the air was so thick with tension that it could be cut with a knife. I remembered Carlisle talking to the Denali's privately, and albeit it wasn't the perfect time to bring it up, I decided to anyway. We were short for time and it wouldn't hurt to press for information.

"What were you talking about to Carlisle, Tanya?" I asked rather bluntly. I saw her face in the rear view mirror and she looked a little surprised before she straightened her features and replaced the look of astonishment with her signature smile.

"Alice?" Tanya asked. Alice cocked her head at Tanya.

"She is almost family, Tanya, she has a right to know. Without her, we wouldn't have Edward with us. Well...he wouldn't be alive."

Tanya paused before she spoke, "Without her, Irina wouldn't be in the mess she is in right now."

"That's hardly fair," Alice retorted. If it came to a fight, I was betting on Alice.

Tanya sighed. "No, I suppose you're right." There was silence again, and after twenty minutes, Tanya finally spoke.

"We were discussing the issue with Irina at first. She wasn't pleased, to say the least, that you were coming to our home. She's still trying to get over the loss of Laurent." Tanya turned to face me and saw the look of disappointment on my face. "Bella, she'll come round eventually. Time heals and all that jazz." Her attention went back to the road, for that, I was thankful.

"Tanya, you know as well as we do that it wasn't Bella who killed Laurent, and we weren't there to save Bella, or even Laurent. I'm not asking you to choose between Irina and Bella, I'm just trying to tell you that none of this is Bella's fault." Alice was irate.

"Yes, we all know that, even Irina. She's just very touchy right now."

"I've seen," replied Alice. "I think I'll stay with Bella until Irina has calmed down. I've seen what she's planning and she better know what we did to the last vengeful female vampire who wanted to kill Bella."

"Irina is the least of your problems." Tanya adjusted the mirror so that she had a clear view of me. She smiled angelically. Except she probably wanted to eat me or cause me pain. I've never known an angel like that.

Adele stifled a yawn when everyone fell silent. She looked at meand smiled. A warming smile.

I leaned closer to her in the back and she whispered into my ear, "If it makes you feel any better, I don't like them either."

"They have good hearing, you know." I whispered back, trying not to use names.

"I know." Adele smiled again and hugged my shoulders. She smelled like damp and other things. I sniffed at myself and realised I was just as bad.

"We need showers," I stated and scrunched up my nose. Alice and Tanya laughed in the front of the car.

"We could have told you that. Have you been in the sewers or something?" asked Tanya.

"You could say that," I replied.

~*~

We pulled up outside a gorgeous cabin made out of wood, but with very expensive-looking windows. It was two stories high and from the outside looked like it covered a lot of ground. There was a building next to it which I presumed was for the cars. Snow had started to fall in flakes and was almost an inch thick on the ground. The roof of the cabin was completely white with snow.

I watched the snow flakes fall and glisten on the windscreen in front. I'd only seen snow a few times, and that was from living in Forks. This snow seemed purer and more beautiful somehow. It was more like the snow you saw in Christmas movies.

Tanya got out of the car and opened the back door for Adele. I started to scoot across the seats to get out of the same side, but Tanya held her hand out in front of me.

"Not yet, Bella. You stay in the car with Alice until everything is sorted." I just nodded and let her shut the door in my face. The snow fell from the window as the door shuddered. I looked at Alice and she pointed towards the cabin.

I looked back and saw another two vampires. A dark-haired male who I presumed was Eleazar and another who's hair was such a pale blonde that it almost looked silver. Irina.

Eleazar headed back inside, in the direction I had seen a few of the others go. I presumed it was Jane, Max, Adele, Esme and Carmen. Everyone else was in front of the house.

Jasper and Emmett were stood as close to the car as the could get without touching it. If they were trying to look inconspicuous, it wasn't working. They were very much the body guards they had meant to be. Carlisle was talking to Irina--well, that's what I expect he was doing. Kate and Tanya were stood on either side of Irina, each holding one of her hands. If she tried for me now, I was pretty hopeful she wouldn't get far.

Alice opened her window a margin and listened. A few snow flakes fell into the car and landed against her pale arm. If it was me, I would have flinched from the cold, but Alice's skin was probabl the same temperature. I wondered how it felt to have snow feel warm? It went against the laws of nature.

"Carlisle is explaining the situation to Irina. He's telling her everything we know about the Volturi and also trying to make her see sense about Laurent. He's a good negociator. If she isn't convinced, she will at least be confused." Alice opened the car door and jumped out in an instant. I was stunned by the sudden, unexpected movement, but recovered. She helped me out of my side and walked me towards Irina. Jasper and Emmett flanked us.

I gripped her stone-like hand for support and comfort. I knew there was little chance of Irina rushing us, but I was still scared. She was a vampire. And I did have some sense, irrational behaviour only occurred around Edward. So far.

"Bella," Irina snarled, but I think she meant to acknowledge my presence. She swallowed a breath and looked slightly calmer. I guessed Jasper was helping her along.

"Let's go inside," Kate stated suddenly. The air was tense, and the snow was still falling and making me shiver with cold.

Irina, Kate and Tanya walked through the porch first, followed by Carlisle and Jasper, then finally, me, Alice and Emmett.

~*~

The cabin--which I am now going to call a house--was huge. The entire downstairs was a completely open area only seperated by walls, no doors.

Straight ahead was a wooden spiral staircase going straight up to where I presumed the bedrooms were. To the left was the living area, with white walls, cream-coloured sofas and deep brown rugs. There was also a brick fireplace and above that a moose head attached to the wall. Antiques were tastefully scattered around the area.

The entire floor was covered in laminate flooring. There was a T.V the size of a car and a hhuge bookcase. To the left was the kitchen. It was elaborately detailed, and matched the cleanliness of the house so far.

As we walked further into the middle of the hall, I could see a further two sections. One had a huge dining table covered in flowers and scissors, the other had a computer and was much like a small office.

The garden was through a set of sliding glass doors at the far end of the property. But we never got to see the garden.

Alice led me upstairs. There were six bedrooms, all on suite. Carmen and Eleazar also had a balcony complete with a hot tub. For the stay, Tanya had offered me her bed. It seemed strange, in a way. I bet she had offered it to Edward at some point, but for different reasons.

"They are just clearing up the dining room, then we are going to have a meeting in there. They work much the same as we do, great, isn't it?" I looked at Alice and just blinked. I was too tired to think right now. I crawled onto Tanya's red, satin sheets and rested my head against one of the softest pillows I'd ever felt. Alice just tutted and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. I guess she was going to let me rest.

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**A/N: Read and Review!!!!**

**Let me know what you thought!**

**Next chapter is entitled 'Alice'**


	18. Chapter 18 Alice

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

**Thanks to everyone reading this story and inspiring me. xparawhorextwerdx, Lady Dragona, Dreaming, EclipsedbyJacob, Sheeijan, VampireAshes....ect...**

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**Chapter 18 - Alice**

I managed to get three hours sleep before I was pushed into the shower by Alice. It felt better to finally get clean. I had to shampoo my hair four times to get all the grease and dirt out. My skin was practically pruned by the time I stepped out of the shower and dried myself.

Alice had managed to locate some clothing from one of the Denalis. A pair of jeans and a white shirt. I had to fold up the sleeves of the shirt, but it was the better than I would have expected.

Downstairs, everyone--including Irina, was sitting in the dining room. There was a plate of Chinese food and a glass of orange juice in one of the empty seats. I guessed that was for me. I raised my eyebrows at Alice.

"When you fell asleep, Esme and Adele went out to get some human food. Adele was starving, we guessed you would be too." I nodded and blushed. Alice pushed out the chair for me, and I sat down and inched myself closer to the table, making a lot of noise. Next to me, Alice just fell into her chair gracefully. I felt like the clumsy oaf again.

Eleazar took the head of the table, which was strange to see. I was so used to Carlisle playing the head of the household, but this wasn't Carlisle's property.

Eleazar stood before he began. "Whilst you were asleep, Bella, we discussed only what is common knowledge, and that is why Max and Adele are still here. From what Carlisle tells me, you want to be included in this as much as you can be." He looked at me and I heard a very ungraceful snort, which I thought came from Irina.

"Very much so," I replied. I looked around the room at the other vampires. Emmett was grinning widely at me, Jasper showed nothing in his face. Irina wouldn't look in my direction, and it was then I realised the snort came from Tanya.

"How can she be involved? She's human." Tanya said human as though it was something vile. I felt like dog muck on the bottom of one of her stilettos.

Alice stood up almost immediately. She was small but intimidating. Her hands were on her hips and she was glaring at Tanya. "You know little about Bella, Tanya. Keep your opinion of her to yourself or so help me--"

"So help you what, hmm?" Tanya looked bemused and rose from her seat, looking down at Alice from across the table. Jasper stood up, but Alice snapped at him to sit down. He did.

"I'll rip that stupid head of your body," she snarled.

"Enough!" Eleazar spoke clearly, and his voice carried through the room. Tanya glared once at Alice, and then sat back down. I pulled on Alice's arm and she met my eyes. She smiled and plopped back into her seat.

Carlisle spoke, whilst still seated. "If we are to work together, then let us not fight between ourselves. We know the situation, and we know that we are not going to leave Edward or Rosalie in Volterra. I suggest we sweep every prejudice we have under the rug until after the crisis at hand is dealt with." He was almost angry, speaking as though we were children, as though we were acting like children. It was true, we were.

I started to eat the cold food in front of me, it was the only chance I would get to eat. Just taking that first bite caused my mouth to water painfully because I hadn't eaten in a while.

"I think Max and Adele have done as much as they can for us now," Carlisle suddenly outed. "I think it's only fair that they are allowed to go back to their family."

Max nodded but Adele looked torn between going and staying. I wouldn't admit it, but I didn't really want Adele to leave. We had to stick together, the only two humans. We had developed a friendship in Volterra, I hoped we could stay friends regardless of whether we were apart or not.

Everyone was in agreement that it was time to let Max and Adele go. I hugged Max and then walked out into the hall to say goodbye to Adele.

"I'll miss you, Adele. Hopefully, when all this is over, I want us to be friends." I blinked and hugged her hard.

"Everything will work out in the end Bella, know that." She caressed my face with her warm hand and smiled. "I'd also love to meet this Edward of yours, so when you get married, I want a front row seat." I laughed through the sobs and then grimaced. I wanted to say "That's if we get out of this alive" but I just nodded.

"I know you don't believe me, Bella, but I have a good feeling about this. Remember when we were in that god-awful place? We got out, I said we would, and we did. Have a little faith." Looking into her eyes I couldn't help but believe her in part. She looked so sincere. I wrapped my arms tighter around her waist and she kissed my hair like a mother would comfort her child.

I stepped back and heard the beep of a car horn. Irina had agreed to take them home, seeing as she wanted nothing to do with the discussions. It was the lesser of two evils in her mind.

"Go on, get out of here!" I laughed and waved at the porch as I watched the both of them climb into the back of the tinted mercedes. Once they were out of sight, I let the tears flow. I wanted to pray that they were alright. But it seemed wrong to ask for God's help. I wasn't exactly Christian of the year.

I felt two cold arms wrap around my waist from the back, and a head rest against my back. I knew it was Alice, no-one else in the household was as small as she was.

"Don't worry Bella, we'll do what we can." Her arms unlocked and she spun me to face her. "Besides, I can see now." The smile beaming from her face was almost magical. Christmas had come early for Alice.

"I suppose that was the idea," I said and motioned to the door where Adele and Max had just left through.

"Yes, now we can plan." I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm, the tears ruined the effect somewhat.

I wiped my eyes on th sleeve of the white shirt and Alice led me back into the room where the other vampires were. I sat in the same chair I had sat in previously, but there was now no empty food cartons. One of the others had cleared it away.

As if on cue with the departure of Max and Adele, I noticed Alice's face went blank. It lasted for the space of a few heart beats, and then I heard a gasp from deep in her throat. She started to shake and then mutter loudly enough for me to hear. "No, no, no." Over and over again.

Jasper was beside her, and I could feel the waves of calm like rivulets along my skin. It was a strong feeling and made me almost sleepy. I knew his affect was greater on vampires, but Alice seemed not to sway from the consternation that had her gripped so forcefully.

Carlisle was stood and looking at Alice with a weight that would make another vampire squirm. He was concentrating on her with a look of anguish.

"Alice?" He finally spoke. Her face raised slightly and looking into those eyes she took a shaky breath.

"Carlisle." As soon as she said it, she seemed to calm down slightly. No longer shaking. It was as if acknowledging the presence of her family was enough to help her fight herself out of the tortured state that had been caused by a single vision lasting mere seconds.

"I saw Rosalie and Edward." As soon as she said that, I thought the worst. If Alice had such a bad reaction, then what ever had happened to them both was not going to be a pretty sight. I wanted to run, just run away, but I also needed to know. It was like watching a horror movie--you don't want to look because you know it will be bad, but you can't not look. It's too compelling.

"What's happened to them?" Carlisle asked, taking Alice's left hand and rubbing circles with his thumb.

"I don't know exactly. The vision, I saw them on the floor in a place...I don't know where it was...I...They were _asleep_. No, they were _unconscious_, they looked_ unconscious_. I didn't think that was possible." I watched her intently as she shook her head. Her short spikes falling closer to her face. I then glanced at Carlisle. Is it possible to say his eyes widened? Because they did. I'd never seen such an expression on Carlisle.

I didn't want to hear anymore. This nightmare had become all too real.

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**A/N: Read and Review!!!!**

**My little sister says she's going to do a spoof of this story. I get into discussions about it with her, and she comes up with all these crazy ideas. She wants Edward to marry Aro...And I thought I was screwed up.**

**More to come soon...**


	19. Chapter 19 Unreal

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer**

**Thanks to all the great reviews last chapter! Here's another one for everyone! And also for xparawhorextwerdx to cheer her up!**

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**Chapter 19 - Unreal**

I got out of the chair and ran out of the room as quickly as possible. The artificial lighting was suddenly making me feel nauseous and my head was spinning.

"Bella!" I heard a female voice shout, but I ignored it. I ran out into the garden, surprisingly without tripping up whilst I felt so off balance. I got as far as the snow-covered stone steps leading down to the patio before I started heaving. I cleared the contents of my stomach in a matter of seconds and felt as empty emotionally as I was physically.

I didn't know what was happening to Edward and Rosalie, I didn't want to know. Maybe it would have been best to stick with as little information as possible? I carefully stood up and traipsed down the steps until I was further into the garden, and not in direct sight of the house. My feet were wet, I only had socks on. Frost bite was not the most important thing to me right now.

I was in conflict with myself. I wanted to live the life of the Cullen's, I wanted to be with Edward forever, but on the other hand, I didn't want to be involved with such violence. The snow had started to fall again, and it was becoming heavy. I sat down, not bothering with the fact that I was wet and cold. I shook my head and let the snow fall from my hair and down my back. I shivered involuntarily.

I had to get a hold of myself. If Edward was in trouble, I had to help. I'd risk anything for him because I knew what life without him was like. Not even hell itself would keep me from Edward.

I traced a heart in the snow with my finger. Inside the heart, I put the letters 'B' and 'E'.

I was about to stand up when I heard foot steps in the snow. Turning around, I saw Tanya.

"I have a fair share of knowledge about the human body, Bella, and I can guarantee you're freezing yourself to death out here." She walked closer, close enough to see the heart in the snow, but she said nothing.

"What are you doing out here?" I asked her. I'd have expected Alice, or one of the other Cullen's, but not Tanya.

"I may not seem like a nice person, Bella, but I am concerned. Truly. I admit I hated you at first, I couldn't believe a human could seduce Edward but I couldn't. I'm quite vain in that sense, and very egotistical, but I think you have some traits that beat any of my physical attributes, and at least you're pretty." She sat in the snow next to me and said nothing else.

I watched her, she watched me. I didn't know what to say. This was Tanya. Finally, I plucked up some courage.

"If it makes you feel any better, I know he's way out of my league," I said. I noticed her lips curl into a half-hearted smile.

"After what I've heard from the Cullen's, it seems that you're out of his. Oh, and I know Alice has some plans about his dominant behaviour. It would never have worked between us...in the end. I have yet to see you together, but I know there is something there." I nodded and glanced at the heart, the falling snow was filling it in again, like it never existed.

Tanya stood up and held out her hand. I hesitated for a moment, but took it anyway. "Your hand is as cold as mine, I don't think that's very healthy."

I smiled and she led me towards the largest tree in view. Slowly, deliberately, her hand came up to the trunk, and her finger started scraping at the bark. She was carving into it like I had carved into the snow. I blinked and watched her step back. There was a new heart, with the letters 'B' and 'E' in them. I felt like crying, but I held myself together. Was this Tanya's way of showing she had accepted me and Edward? I didn't know.

"Now it's more permanent, the way it should be," she said and laughed.

"Thank you," I whispered, but was well aware that she heard me.

~*~

We joined the others in the dining room, Alice was ready with a blanket for me. I wrapped it around myself almost immediately. I wanted a shower, but there would be time later. Hopefully.

I sat next to Alice again, with Esme on the other side. Her arm wrapped tenderly around my shoulders. Tanya simply smiled before turning her attention to Eleazar and Carlisle. Both of who were talking in muttered tones.

"Alice?" I asked.

"It's a long story Bella, I'll excuse us from the table once they are finished." I nodded and watched the faces around me, trying to get clues or indications into what was happening.

Tanya, Carmen and Kate looked grim. Esme was shaking her head and Emmett clenched his knuckles. Jasper and Alice were the only ones not giving away any emotions. They were looking at each other...but not intimately. They didn't look like they were sharing knowledge either. They were just staring, like nothing was there. Staring through one another.

"Okay, Bella, let's go into the hall." I brought myself out of my thoughts and nodded in Alice's direction. I saw her rise from the table and followed.

In the hall, she let her nonchalant mask disappear and I saw a range of emotions cross her face; anger, fear and hope.

"Eleazar told us about his time with the Volturi," she stated and watched my reaction. I was confused and she continued, "He worked for the Volturi. He has a certain talent that was useful to them. He can tell when a person has a talent, and he can tell what that talent is."

"Wait...Why are we trusting him then? If he is in cahoots with the enemy?" I asked bewildered.

"He left them some time ago, made a new life with Carmen and the Denali coven. He feared that the Volturi were abusing their power to some extent. It clarified his preconceptions of them."

"I'm not following." I bit my lip nervously as she continued.

"The Volturi like to believe that what they do is for the protection of vampires. They like to think they are making the world an easier place for us to live in, by eradicating those who could expose us. We are supposed to think that their vast army was built for this purpose, but that seems not to be the case.

"They like power, Bella. We believe that Aro wants you killed or changed to join him. He fears the potential you have. He fears the growth of our family. He is trying to pick holes in our family, trying to bait us until we break the law. He wants an excuse to kill us, has done since we last visited him. He thought you would be the perfect excuse. Marcus showed him that." Her chin tilted upwards as though she was in deep thought.

"Marcus saw the ties between you and Edward, and Aro saw those through Marcus. It is against vampire law to have a human in our midst. It's either change or destroy. If Aro destroyed you, you can guarantee that Edward would want revenge. Aro would have his excuse to eradicate us." Alice sighed.

"Eradicate? You make it sound so simple."

"Bella, you need to grasp the concept that the Volturi are much too powerful to fight. You remember when Victoria sent the newborns to kill us? How many of the Volturi guard were sent to kill twenty vampires?"

"I remember Jane...Felix...and two others. Four." Four against twenty. And the four would win. I tried to shake off the dread that was suddenly building inside my body. I gulped back a scream and stood motionless.

"They slaughter. They never have to fight, they've never had a fair fight." I noticed a glimmer in Alice's eye, but with what we were discussing, it seemed out of place.

"Then what are we supposed to do? Roll over and die?"

"Not yet. We have options to live. If we could change you, then Aro would have no reason to kill, no laws will be broken. He likes to keep up a facade, he likes to pretend to the vampire world that the Volturi are saints. Caius just wants us killed, and Marcus doesn't give a damn about anything."

"Aro seemed much the boss the last time I saw him though, if we sway him, have we won?" I asked.

"Possibly. Now go take your shower." Alice smiled and poked my shoulder playfully.

~*~

A shower, a change of clothes, and a hot chocolate later, we had all moved into the living area. Alice had a pen and a piece of paper and was sketching. Jasper was watching her intently. It reminded me of the time when she was sketching the ballet studio in Phoenix. I took a sip of hot chocolate and set the mug on a coaster on the coffee table.

On the paper so far looked like a large hall. There were gas lamps on the walls and curtains at the far end. I'd seen something like that once, when I went to the theatre. Was she sketching a theatre? I concentrated on her pen as she started to draw the back of chairs. The chairs where and audience would sit, and then the wooden panels on the stage.

"Was this in the vision, Alice?" I asked.

"Not that vision, no. I keep getting flashes of this one, of this theatre, but nothing else yet."

"Is that where they are then? Edward and Rosalie?"

"I'm not sure, Bella. I haven't actually seen them in it yet." Alice replied. I stood up and left the room. I hovered in the hall, unsure of what to do with myself. The vampires were waiting on Alice. I could try and phone Adele. I wanted to phone Charlie, but the Cullen's had spun him some type of lie, and I didn't want to raise any suspicions. After all, he was a cop.

"Tanya," I said, speaking normally. There was no point raising my voice, she would hear me. I felt the air move beside me, before I actually saw her.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I was wondering if you have any way to contact Adele?" I didn't know if she approved or if I would be allowed to use the phone, but she didn't seem to have any issues with it.

"I'll dial the number for you." I expected her to get out a phone book, but I suppose that was one of the assets to being a vampire. I could sure use a photographic memory. After dialling the number and passing me the receiver, Tanya left, to give me a little privacy.

The phone was answered on the fifth ring. "Adele?" I asked, unsure of who else would be on the other line.

"Bella, thank God, Bella!" she whispered in a frantic voice.

"Adele, where are you?!" The line went dead and I listened to the empty tone in shock. I let the phone drop out of my hand and stood still, shaking slightly. Jasper was the first one to come near me.

"Bella, you need to calm down." As soon as he said it, I felt a wave of calm, but it was like it washed over me, and didn't touch me. I was still in shock. Everything was blurred and all I could hear was the sound of deep sobbing, I knew it was coming from me.

"She's having hysterics, someone should slap her."

"Alice!" Esme scolded. Jasper tried to calm me down again, and this time I felt marginally better.

I took a deep breath ready to tell the vampires what had happened, when Alice screamed and fell to the floor. Jasper turned his attention to Alice and I watched on in terror. It was like watching a television screen, because none of this could surely be real.

Alice's eyes lifted and met mine, before she spoke. "Irina. Irina and Adele."

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**A/N: Read and review!**

**Reviews this chapter are getting a special chapter in Adele's POV. **

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	20. Chapter 20 Loyalty

**Disclaimer: All thing Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer!**

**Thanks to everyone reading this story. It encourages me to continue! xparawhorextwerdx, EclipsedbyJacob, VampireAshes, Lady Dragona, Dreaming, Sheeijan...and everyone else!**

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**Chapter 20 -Loyalty**

"Irina? What about Irina?" Tanya asked as she sat on the floor next to Alice, pushing her way in front of Esme. Alice shook her head and held onto Jasper's hand like a lifeline.

Tanya turned to me, "What happened?"

"I think Adele is in trouble. She was frantic on the phone and then got cut off."

"But she's with Irina...You don't think?" Tanya turned to Kate.

"Kate?"

"It's possible. But Max was with them. Alice wouldn't have seen if Max was with them."

I listened to the vampires arguing. Not believing that Irina would betray them. I knew one person who would know for sure what she was thinking. But he wasn't here. I gulped and took another deep breath. There was someone else who was just as intuitive in this room, and that was Jasper.

"How did Irina feel when she saw us?" I asked and Alice muttered something to Jasper. He turned to face me.

"She was irate, confused, sorrowful, she also felt guilty for some reason."

"I tried looking into her future, there was a lot of confusion and indecision there too." Alice added.

"So it's possible that Irina took Adele as revenge? Irina knew I was close to Adele, right?" I was trying to make sense of what had happened.

"If Irina wanted to take someone, she would have taken you. And the vision I had..."

"Yes?" I looked at Alice and she was avoiding eye contact. "For God's sake, Alice! Tell me!"

"The vision showed Irina and Adele being killed."

I stood motionless. I saw Kate and Tanya slumped against each other, their faces twisted in agony. I saw Jasper and Alice staring at me, I saw Carlisle speaking to Eleazar and Carmen. I saw everything, but I wasn't a part of it. Time had frozen for me. The shock was too much for my fragile heart to take, so my mind was blocking me out. But I couldn't keep myself blocked out. If there was anything I could do, I would do it. Adele had given me hope before. I had to do everything I could for her. I'd even save Irina if I could. Despite what she may have done.

My self realisation helped me break through the invisible bubble I was holding myself inside.

"Alice, what exactly happened? Tell me everything. It's not the end yet. We can save them." I felt a single tear slide down my cheek, but it was the only one.

Alice looked into my eyes and a small smile curved her lips. She shook Jasper off her arm and stood up.

"Irina took Adele to the Volturi. Well, they are on their way right now. Without Max. I can't see Max so I don't know if he's alive or dead," she paused and I listened to my heart beating in my throat.

"If Irina takes Adele to the Volturi, they will both die. They are of no use to them, except bait. But they have plenty of bait already. Killing them would mean nothing, it would also get Caius off Aro's case. Caius wants Rosalie dead, but Aro has refused thus far. The best we can do is get to Irina before she gets to the volturi."

I nodded and looked at the other vampires, all ready to do what they had to. To save Irina and Adele, and also edward and Rosalie.

Before we could do anything else, Esme went for the door. I felt the draft when it opened, but I didn't turn around.

"Oh, God, Carlisle!" Esme shouted. Carlisle ran out after her, and I turned around. Carlisle had Max in his arms. There was blood everywhere. Where it was coming from, I didn't know. He was a mess. Adrenaline was pumping through my body, preventing me from passing out. Eleazar and Carmen ran through to the dining room. I heard them clear the table for Max.

"Alice, get my medical bag," Carlisle shouted calmly. This was his forte. I had every faith in Carlisle. He could save Max.

No one told me to go into the living room, or to stay out of the way, so I found myself drifting towards the dining room. I took a step back and hugged myself.

Max was on the table, the blood was cleaned and he had a tear in his arm, like a chunk had been taken out of it. You could see the severed tendons and the hint of bone through the wound. But that wasn't the worst of the injuries.

His leg was bent at a funny angle, I heard Carlisle muttering to Alice and Carmen to find something solid. Jasper came up behind me and dragged me away from the carnage. I didn't realise I was shaking until we were upstairs in Tanya's room.

"W-what are they doing to him?" My voice sounded mortified, maybe I was.

"His leg has been broken at an awkward angle. If it sets like that, he will be crippled. The bone cells are already reknitting so they have to break is leg again, and make sure it sets properly."

The horror must have shown on my face, because Jasper was suddenly trying to calm me down.

"His arm will be fine, they just have to make sure it doesn't get infected. They heal mighty fast...if you remember Jacob?" I did. The injuries he suffered would've killed a human, but he was well within days. It amazed me at how fast he had healed.

I heard a cry and realised it was Max. My breathing sped up and I clutched the mattress of Tanya's bed.

"They can't give him anything for the pain. His metabolism would burn it up too fast for it to work. Carlisle doesn't want to risk giving him enough to work incase it causes an overdose." I nodded but nothing else would work. My brain was no longer connected to my body, and I felt like I was floating. Floating just above the nightmares, just out of reach, until everything went blurry then black.

~*~

I didn't have to be a genius to realise what had just happened. I'd fainted again. All these shocks were causing my mind to shut down, and I knew it wasn't healthy. I had to get a hold of myself. I had to seperate my emotions from the situation, but I couldn't.

"Bella, thank God you're awake," Alice said as she sat down on top of the sheets. I was in Tanya's bed.

"You just collapsed on Jasper. He didn't know what to do. I heard him ask for help and I was here. If things are getting too much, Bella, you need to tell me now. We can protect you as much as possible physically, but emotionally...Jasper is finding it hard to stay around you. You act composed, you act like nothing fazes you, but your emotions tell us otherwise. Don't break apart like this." She kissed the top of my head and walked towards the door. She stopped suddenly.

"Emmett, don't you dare bring her in here!" I watched Alice's face contort in rage.

"She's been asking all day, Alice. I won't let her harm her." Who's been asking? And asking what?

Alice climbed onto the bed next to me, the side of her body pressed against mine. She looked ready to protect me if I needed it. I wondered why, until Emmett walked through the door, followed by Jane.

I wanted to laugh. Emmett was being just as cautious as Alice, yet he must have outweighed her by over 100 pounds. It didn't surprise me though. Jane was dangerous to the vampires because of her talent. I, of course, wasn't afraid because of that. I was afraid because she was a vampire. Okay, that doesn't quite cut it. I was afraid of her because she drank human blood and she had once cornered me in the women's bathroom of an airport.

She glided closer, but stayed about a metre back from the bed. Her expression was awkward. I didn't know what she wanted or why she looked at me like that. Like she was...sorry?

"Hi, Bella." I looked into her burgundy eyes, not sure if she had fed since being here, not sure that I wanted to know.

"Jane..." Emmett said. His voice held a tone of warning.

"I won't touch her!" she snapped. I shook my head and held onto Alice's hand.

"Jane, what do you want?" I asked softly. She smiled, pleased that I was acknowledging her.

"I wanted to say sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, I'm just trying to understand you. It is also common knowedge that you want to be a vampire, and I'm curious as to what sort of vampire you would turn out to be." I watched her move closer in a floating motion. She was now at the foot of the bed. Emmett tensed and was ready to tackle her at any moment.

"Have you fed?" I suddenly blurted. I wanted to take it back, but Jane smiled.

"Yes, I have. Today." Still smiling, she took a step back, further from me. I sat up and patted the bed near my feet. I looked at Alice for a second, her eyes widened. Emmett looked like he was constipated. Jane tilted her head to the side, as though she was asking me if I felt okay.

"You can sit down. I don't think you're here to kill me or anything. Not right now." The bed didn't even move as she gracefully sat, her hands in her lap.

"I want to know everything, Jane. I want to know why you're here...Why are you being so...I'd say nice but it doesn't quite fit. Why are you being so unlike you?" Alice and Emmett were still beside me, both listening and watching intently.

"If I answer your questions, I want you to answer mine," she said. I looked at her golden hair for a moment before replying.

"Of course." I smiled.

"I'll start from the beginning. I don't think we have time to dawdle, so I'll tell you everything in short." I nodded, encouraging her to go on.

"I'm loyal to Aro. He calls me his tutore. It means--"

"You're his protector, his guardian," Alice said, interupting. Jane growled at Alice, but it was more of a warning than a threat. I knew this because Alice didn't do anything and neither did Jane.

"Yes, his protector. He rescued me and my brother, Alec, from witch hunters. In those days, they consisted of members of the church. He was almost too late. We were being burnt alive on the stakes. The Volturi guard killed the witch hunters and Aro rescued both me and Alec. He changed us there and then. Vampire venom works miracles, as you probably know." I nodded.

"How did Aro know you and Alec possessed such power?" I asked

"Isn't it obvious? It was around the time that Eleazar was working for Aro." Ah. It made sense. She continued.

"He saved us, so we are loyal to him. But it isn't that simple. He also has Chelsea. She was already a vampire when we found her. We slaughtered her entire coven, her family and friends. There was no one left but her. Aro gave her the option to join or die. She came grudgingly."

"Why would he kill a mass of vampires for one? Is her power so great?" I asked.

"Chelsea can see the ties in relationships, she knows how strong they are, she can find weak spots in the enemies. Not only that, but she can tighten ties, and weaken them. It works well in battle. Confuses the enemy. But it also works well for Aro and Caius. She strengthens the bond in the Volturi guard. Makes them want to be there. They are drawn to protect and fight for the Volturi because of her. I didn't realise how strong the bond was until I left with you."

"But you're still loyal?" Emmett asked, disgust in his voice.

"I am, but I'm now unsure. I think I'm developing a conscience. Aro didn't save us because he wanted us to live. He saved us because he wanted us for himself. He uses and manipulates to a degree which is on the borderline of being considered selfish and blood thirsty. It confuses not only the vampires in this world, but also his two brothers. It's his advantage over them. It's why he is considered the ruler. He is strategic in what he does, he is the dangerous one."

"I didn't think of it like that," Alice stated. "I thought of the strengthening of the guard, wanting to be powerful, but I didn't see that he was manipulating those within his ranks. If there was no Chelsea, then what would become of the guard? Would they develop a conscience? Or would they stay by Aro?"

"I'm still loyal to Aro. I think most of them would be too, or they'd be killed."

"How can you be loyal to him after everything you've told us?" I was suddenly angry. Didn't Jane realise what she was saying?

"Despite everything he does, he has something inside him which works to keep vampires safe. Without the volturi, what would happen to our kind? We'd be discovered. There would be mutiny. We'd slaughter all the humans in this world until there is nothing but blood and death. Aro and Caius, and even Marcus...they preserve our way of life, they destroy trouble makers, in a way they are preserving human life."

I blinked. I just blinked. The words were moving around inside my head. I understood them, but they seemed insensible. The Volturi preserving human life? It seemed ridiculous, but it was plausible in some way. It was true that the Volturi hid vampire life from humans. They killed humans who knew. They killed trouble makers. What would life be like if the humans knew about the vampires? That was the million dollar question.

"How are we going to get Edward, Rosalie, Irina and Adele out safely? We apparently can't kill him or it would destroy the world, and if we don't kill him, then we die." Emmett seemed lost, Alice was smiling. I was trying to get inside my non-existent bubble.

"We play his game. We play his game and win." I looked at Jane. What was it with vampires and games?

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**A/N: REVIEW PLEASE!!!**

**Dun dun dun...We are getting ever so close now...**


	21. Chapter 21 Kidnapping and Napkins

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer.**

**Thanks to everyone reading this story.**

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**Chapter 21 - Kidnapping and Napkins**

An hour later and everyone knew about the conversation with Jane. Max was healing at an excelled rate. It was unnerving. The bandage on his arm had now come off, the scar looked shiny, weeks old. His leg was slower. The break harder to heal.

Carlisle and Eleazar took Max back to the pack he belonged to and explained everything as best as they could. Most wanted to come, including Max. But they had to settle with not coming. It would only risk Adele more, and possibly get us all killed.

Alice's visions had also become much clearer. It was a theatre, and the latest vision showed Edward and Rosalie in one of the boxes above the stage. Alice couldn't tell if they were in the same comatose state yet. But we knew one thing. Aro was showing us because he wanted us there. His game was ready to start.

We had no choice, we had to get Volterra. Irina and Adele would be there before us if we didn't hurry. Alice assured us that if we got going, we would make it to the airport at the same time as Irina and Adele. Irina was confused, which was making her stop constantly to go through her decisions. Tanya asked Alice what we would do if Irina decided to come home. Alice was going with the worst case scenario, and I didn't blame her.

The journey to the airport was somehow more dangerous in my mind. My heart was thudding louder than ever before. We were going back to the lions. We were going back as chew toys. We also had a deadline. We had to get to Volterra before Irina and Adele otherwise they were dead.

Jasper, Alice and Tanya were in the car with me. Jasper was sat in the back, trying his upmost to keep me calm. Alice was muttering to me, but most of it was just muttering. It was soothing regardless of whether I heard the words though. That was what mattered.

"How long?" I asked in a shaky voice. It had stopped snowing now, and dark was setting in. I could see the moon in the clear sky, and all my thoughts were scrambling around in my head. I couldn't seem to make sense of anything right now. I wanted to help the others, but I was still a dead weight. About as useful as the dark side of the moon.

"Fifteen minutes," replied Alice. She was concentrating on Irina and Adele, looking for their futures. I returned to staring at the sky. I couldn't see it darkening, but I knew it was. If I looked away, and then looked back, it would be darker.

"Shit!" Alice suddenly hissed. Jasper seemed tense, Tanya kept driving.

"Alice?" Jasper asked. I watched like it was another soap opera. I was chanting in my head. _Distance myself, distance myself, distance myself_. I didn't want to faint again.

"Irina and Adele are at the airport now, they'll be boarding in ten minutes. I fear that if Irina sees us in the airport, she'll disappear. How far ahead are Kate and Carmen?" Alice asked Tanya.

"Phone them, explain to them." Tanya was pushing the car to its limit. Alice had her cell in her hand before I could even look at her. It was to her face in seconds.

"Carmen, how long do you think it will be until you get there? Yes. Push it, get to Irina before we do, hold her." The phone snapped shut and Alice spoke to us. "If they push it, just over eight minutes."

I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding. If Kate and Carmen could get to Irina before anything happened, then there would be one less problem. I didn't know about the vampires, but I could only deal with one problem at a time, and that seemed to be getting over my head.

We pulled up outside the airport fourteen and a half minutes later. I stayed in the car whilst Alice, Jasper and Tanya ran into the airport. If there was no humans in the airport, they would have been able to get to Irina easily, but the humans seemed to cause a problem.

The vampires had to calmly talk Irina out of her decision. If they caused a scene, then security would get involved.

I couldn't stand waiting in the car, so I got out and walked towards the airport. My trainers crunched at the snow.

I could see Irina talking to Carlisle, with Jasper, Alice, Kate, Tanya, Carmen and Eleazar. I watched them for a second, then started to walk towards the group. Irina looked calmer. That was a start.

I wondered where Adele was, but then I saw her. She was the only one to see me, our eyes made contact and she smiled. I couldn't wait to get to her and tell her how glad I was that she was safe. But I never got that far.

I felt my body being dragged, but I couldn't comprehend it. It was too fast for my brain to understand, and my eyes just saw a blur. Unfocused. When the motion stopped, I was stood in the middle of the runway.

"What the hell?" I managed to shout. Demetri was stood in front of me with Jane at his side, I was either in a nightmare or this was some kind of sick joke. Please be the joke.

"Hello again, Bella. Would you like to come with us? The jet awaits." Demetri almost purred. I wanted to do something, but whatever I did would be as useless as spitting in his face. No, spitting in his face would at least give me a little satisfaction. I just looked at Jane and felt angry. She had betrayed us. I didn't expect it, but I should have. She was loyal to Aro. She had told me that much, but I thought she had built some friendships with us. Even if she had, it seems that the loyalty was stronger than anything else. Any other relationship.

"No," I felt myself saying, although my brain was no longer a part of my actions. My voice sounded distant but it held the tones of anger I was feeling.

"You don't have a choice." I knew it was Demetri who spoke, but I was fixated on Jane. If only she was human, I'd tackle her to the floor and rip out strands of her golden hair. She did look a little uneasy though. Maybe that was guilt? Serves her right.

I finally looked at Demetri again. "Would you like 'nice and quiet' or 'kicking and screaming' with your dessert today?"

I watched his lips curl into a bemused smirk, then he went serious again. "Can the sarcasm."

"My sarcasm is never canned, it's always fresh," I replied.

"Enough of the stalling," replied a voice behind me. I turned enough to see Felix standing behind me. I didn't realise I was stalling, but it was a good idea. How long would it take for Adele to tell the others about my sudden kidnap? How long before Alice has another vision?

I felt two strong arms wrap around my waist and lift me over their shoulder. Felix's shoulder length hair wisped into my face. I had lost my brave front and was back to being worried, frightened Bella. I wanted to scream, but the dread I felt was like a cloud around me. Suffocating and choking.

I closed my eyes and felt the wind rush past my neck and ruffle my hair against my face. There was nothing I could do but wait. Wait and see how it all pans out.

The wind stopped when I was inside the jet. Felix tied my seat belt and sat on my left. Demetri on my right. I thought it was just a little overcautious. I was a human, so naturally I wouldn't be out-running or fighting anyone. Then there was the case of us being thousands of feet in the air.

I felt panicky, sitting between the two macho vampires. As my heart beat into frenzied palpitations, all I could think about was the fact that they could hear my heart and feel it rush through my veins. Would one of them accidentally eat me?

"Give her some breathing space," a voice spoke softly. I didn't look up to see who it was, but the voice was familiar. I kept my eyes on my feet and concentrated on trying to keep myself conscious.

"Aro doesn't want her out of sight," Felix said. I knew because the sound came from my direct left.

"Sight doesn't mean that you have to cram her between you like a hot dog." The same voice snapped. I felt the bodies shift beside me, and chanced a look up.

Demetri and Felix were sat at the far end of the plane, and Corin was stood above me. Looking bemused.

"Do you feel that?" He asked me. I didn't know what he was talking about.

"Feel what?" I replied. He smiled suddenly and shrugged before walking away. Jane came to sit beside me, but I'd rather be sandwiched between Felix and Demetri again.

I closed my eyes and concentrated on a boat in the sea with the sun shining above me. That's what people did in relaxation classes. Or they thought about colours, but the only colour I was seeing right now was red. For two reasons.

"Bella, look at me." Boat, sun, sea. Boat, sun, sea.

"Bella, don't make me open your eyes." Boat, sun, sea. Boat, sun, sea.

"Bella, I'm sorry." Boat, sun, sorry?

I opened my eyes.

"Sorry? For what?" I hissed between my teeth. I wanted her away from me. No matter how angry I was, the fear was worse. If I could use that anger to push her away, and hence override my fear, I might be able to keep myself clear-headed.

All the other encounters I had had with the Volturi were confusing and more distant, like old, recurring nightmares, but I knew that this time it was more real than ever before. It was more personal. That made it more frightening.

Jane glanced at the others, then back at me. She looked frustrated. I watched her walk away and come back with something in her hands. A napkin and a pen. She scribbled quickly and neatly onto the paper.

Bella, I'm sorry about what happened. You should have stayed in the car.

I opened my mouth to say something, but she took the pen and placed it in my lap. Then she nodded. I huffed and took the pen. My writing was shaky and messy in comparison to hers, and I wrote much slower.

I don't know what you're getting at, Jane. I thought you were on our side.

She took the pen back and scribbled in half the time.

I'm on the side I have to be on. I like you, but I'm loyal to Aro. Aro wanted you for part of his plan, so they came to bring you back. They didn't know the Cullen's were on their way to Volterra, but they do now. Aro is thrilled that everything is going so well. Try not to be mad. This is part of his game. Let him play it or you'll die.

I looked at the napkin and nodded slightly, my hands shaking. Jane snatched the napkin and walked away, but she left the pen in my lap.

I looked at it and wished I was the pen. Wished I was a brainless, lifeless object. Things would be so much easier.

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**A/N: Review please!!!!**

**Next chapter is Edward!!!**


	22. Chapter 22 No Matter How Bad it Gets

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer! [LUCKY BITCH!]**

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**Chapter 22 - No Matter How Bad It Gets**

**Edward's POV**

Aro moved me into the same cell as Rosalie. She was on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. Demetri and Felix pushed me into the room and shut the door behind me. I stood motionless for a moment, frozen in time, before I walked towards Rosalie.

I knelt beside her body, the bite marks on her neck were as visible as those that Jasper had, but they weren't as messy. The bites Jasper had acquired had been during a war. Newborns attacked him. Rosalie on the other hand--she was bitten neatly by Afton. That didn't make the bites better. It was my fault she was here now. My fault she was on the floor. Inside my head, her voice was screaming. Not thinking anything, not remembering anything, just screaming.

I wished I couldn't hear it. She was holding in more pain than was being shown. She was showing a molehill but inside she was crying a mountain. It made me want to comfort her.

I moved closer, careful not to make sudden movements, careful not to startle her.

Kneeling beside her emotionally broken body, I brought my hand forward to touch her arm, but she cringed away. I looked up to see her at the far end of the room. Stood against the far wall. Her body pressed against the wall, her hands grabbing at the solid walls, as though they were keeping her standing.

Her eyes were dark, the shadows under them darker. Blood was falling like tears from her lips where she had bitten into them. To cause pain or settle it? I didn't know. She was still screaming in her head, and there was nothing I could do to help her.

Helpless, I crawled to the opposite side of the room and curled into a ball. There was one other time I had given into pain in such a way, and that one time I vowed myself that it would never happen again. So why was it happening now?

I was giving up. I was giving up because I was sick of feeling like this. Maybe if I gave up everything, gave up emotion, gave up the ability to love, became what I've been fighting for a century, then maybe I would no longer drive myself into such devastation.

A high-pitched yelp caused me to look up at Rosalie. She was trying not to sob, she was trying to calm down. She was fighting. I saw the thoughts passing through her head like a tape on fast forward. I saw the images of Royce and the gang who had rid Rosalie of her humanity. I expected her to feel bitter and angry, or to cry. But she wasn't. She was dragging hope from what happened. Royce and the others were dead. They didn't strip her of humanity. She kept that. She always would.

That comprehension helped me to fight. I was constantly fighting to keep my humanity, and I suddenly knew that if I hadn't been fighting, I wouldn't have Bella, I wouldn't feel love, I would possibly be a mindless drone, a doll in Aro's vast collection. I would keep fighting until I died, whether that be tomorrow or centuries from now.

"God hasn't cast you out, Edward," Rosalie's voice was thick with emotion. She was slumped against the far wall now, but she looked aware. She wasn't fully Rosalie yet, but she was closer to being Rosalie than the crumpled mess that I had seen before.

"I think I'm beginning to realise that," I replied.

I sat next to Rosalie automatically. Her hand took mine. We drew strength from each other.

The minutes were passing by, and Rosalie was improving. She was working her way through her memories, trying to reach the present day. Emmett occupied many of the memories, and I expected them to be explicit, but they weren't. They were memories that meant everything to the person who they belonged to, but little to anyone else.

It reminded me of a child I once saw on his pushbike. He was thinking about the day he helped his mother do the gardening. I passerby might see them in the garden and think it was nice that the son was helping, or they might think it was cute. The boy was thinking about how much the flowers reminded him of his mother. And he was happy.

Rosalie's memories were like that, but I understood them more. She was my sister, after all. I chuckled lightly at her latest one. It was on a sunny day in Forks. Rare, but still existent. Esme had suggested we clean the cars. Armed with buckets and sponges, we went to work. It ended in a water fight. Soap suds and sponges flew everywhere, mop buckets full of water soaked the hall, Emmett blasted everyone with the hose...

I looked at Rosalie and she too was smiling.

"I don't think the Volturi guards get any days like that. I don't think nomads do either, or small covens. The only other coven I think would ever have such a life would be the Denali's. When you look at it like that, how small is the sacrifice of animal blood?"

Rosalie was right. "Human blood isn't all it's cracked up to be when you put it in that context," I replied.

The door opened behind us and Aro walked in. Flanked by Renata and Corin. He wasn't bothering to shield his thoughts now. He wanted me to know what was happening. I knew what Corin's power was, and it seemed that it was coming into great use for what Aro wanted.

"Is the theatre real or an illusion?" I asked.

"Real, but how much of it is an illusion will be up to you...and your family to decide." I nodded. I knew that he planned to get the rest of the Cullen's here for the show. That was understandable. I also knew what the show was about, and I wanted it to be an illusion.

"We will leave you with your thoughts now, Edward. Rosalie." Aro bowed mockingly. He parted with a lingering thought.

_Illusion is sometimes all that keeps us sane._

Rosalie looked at me and asked, "What was all that about?"

"Aro is planning some theatrics. It was Corin who caused our senses to deaden in the forest. It's Corin who can cause you to think and feel what is not real. Aro wants us to be part of his twisted show. I saw what happened in his mind and I'm hoping that it's all imaginary."

"Tell me what happens, Edward." I looked at my sister and told her all the details I had taken from Aro. Suprisingly, she was calm about it. She even smiled.

"Wait a minute, you're smug about this, aren't you?" I asked her.

"Yes. It will be just like how we all were taken. Unwillingly. It's how it should be." Her words were full of bitterness.

"It won't happen...If I can help it."

"It has to happen, Edward. The only specifics are which way it happens, but regardless, it will happen. Sooner rather than later." I sighed. Rosalie was right again. If we fought it, then we could all die. Aro wanted an excuse to get rid of the threat he thinks our family causes for him. He won't destroy us without a reason. And he isn't using Bella as a reason. He's using her as bait. Illusion or real, he's trying to bait us. If it's only me and Rosalie here, then he can only kill us. If the other Cullen's were here, he could kill us all. Even if only one of us was to rise to the bait.

"I won't give him the reason he needs. The reason to kill us," I finally stated.

"No matter how bad it gets," Rosalie added. I hesitated but repeated.

"No matter how bad it gets."

We just had to wait until Aro needed us now. And between all that waiting, we talked.

"Do you remember that day when we were sat on the roof..."

"During Emmett's change?" I replied.

"Yes." I remembered it like it was yesterday. Rosalie was worried that she was damning Emmett to our way of life, wondering whether she should have left him to die as a human. But she couldn't leave him, she loved him from the moment she saw him, and she felt it was fate. It was the first time she'd been away from his changing body, apart from to hunt.

We sat on the roof, above the window in the attic bedroom, and we watched the sky bleed into night. We stayed there all night, and I remember thinking at the time, that if that was to be my final day on Earth, I'd die without regret.

That wouldn't happen now. I'd fight too much to stay. I'd want to make sure Bella was safe and well before I went anywhere. And then I'd be too selfish to leave her. I think Rosalie would feel the same way with Emmett. No relaxing final day would come. We would never grow old and die in the arms of the one's we loved. But that was alright. We would have forever to be with our loves.

"Final day," she said softly.

"Let's hope in never comes." I put my arms around her shoulders and we both hoped.

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**A/N: Next chapter is, well, it's....**

**Thank you to everyone reading this story!!!! [including wifey!I've been IMO for a while, but here's to hoping I'm back!]**


	23. Chapter 23 Light In The Dark

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Steohenie Meyer**

**And on with the story....**

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**Chapter 23 - Light in the Dark**

**BPOV**

The jet landed and we were out of the airport and into the Volturi vehicles. Jane was adamant that I stay in her sight, so I was sandwiched between Felix and Demetri again, with Jane and another vampire in front. There was one other car full of vampires, but I didn't know how many there were yet.

I hoped the Cullens and Denalis would understand what was happening better than I did. I didn't want them to be careless. Being careless might get some of them, if not all of them, killed.

We didn't walk through the city as we had last time. I was partly grateful. It was a tiresome and painful walk, and I was half glad when I was swooped onto one of the vampires backs as they swiftly ran. I didn't know who's back I was being carried on, because to think would probably cause me more harm than necessary. I concentrated on my breathing. Slowly, in through my mouth, then out through my nose. Most people breath in through their noses, but that always gives me a headache. My heart was slowing slightly, the unruly pitter patter now a pair of rhythmic drums.

The air was a distant whoosh around my ears and my eyes were closed tightly. Only a vice on each eyelid would be able to open them right now.

Before I knew what was happening, I felt a change in my orientation. I opened my eyes against my will and noticed that I was in a dark room. There was no light, and it was the same temperature as outside, hence why I hadn't noticed the change in settings. Slightly cool.

I was flat on my back, my hair spilling out behind me like a dark curtain. I moved my legs and arms and noticed I wasn't tied down or anything. I sat up, dizzy and shaking. A figure moved to my left and I turned my head. I couldn't make out who it was, but the vampire in question was tall, and well built, so must've been male.

"Hello?" I asked, my voice croaky and thick with dread.

"Bella." It was Felix. My breathing sped up and my heart rate paced. I heard another noise that wasn't the ringing in my ears, or the pounding of my heart. It was a tapping noise.

My eyes had adjusted enough for me to see the outline of Felix's hand tapping against his thigh. The taps were getting faster, and it wasn't until I took a gulp of air that I realised he was mirroring the beat of my heart.

Call me stupid, but it wasn't until that moment that I actually thought he would kill me. It brought home to me just how much an advantage vampires have over humans. Humans were supposed to be the top predators, the dictators of the world, and they were. But for how much longer?

"Tense?" He asked. That single syllable rang through my ears and seemed to set off my internal alarm bells. It took most of my strength to try and keep calm. I wanted to be in shock. Shock is natures defense mechanism against this sort of thing. I just sat there. If I opened my mouth, I knew I would scream, and if I screamed, that might be what Felix/all the other vampires want.

I closed my eyes and tried to think happy thoughts. The visual of a boat hadn't lasted long, and it didn't make me feel as peaceful as I had hoped. I wanted to feel safe and warm and comfortable. The boat made me feel warm, but not in the way I wanted to feel warm. I was cold inside, and no amount of external heat could warm that. I also felt dizzy and sick from the gentle swoosh of the current. Relaxing, my butt.

The only thoughts I had that could possibly make me think of other things were those of late. I remembered something, and threw myself into that memory, as though it was real now.

_It felt like the waves were fighting over me, jerking me back and forth between them as if determined to share by pulling me into halves._

_The angry water was black in every direction; there was no brightness to direct me upward. _

_I fought to keep my breath in, to keep my lips locked around my last store of oxygen._

_The cold of the water was numbing my arms and legs. I didn't feel the buffeting so much as before._

_I didn't want to fight anymore. And it wasn't the light-headedness, or the cold, or the failure of my arms as the muscles gave out in exhaustion, that made me content to stay where I was. I was almost happy that it was over._

_Even as my lungs burned for more air and my legs cramped in the icy cold, I was content. I'd forgotten what real happiness felt like._

_Happiness. It made the whole dying thing pretty bearable._

My eyes snapped open and became focused on the darkened room. Maybe that wasn't the memory I was looking for, but it helped more than anything else would have at that moment. I wasn't suicidal, I was just accepting my death, not fighting it. Maybe I should have fought, but I wanted my last moments to be peaceful, content, bearable.

I wrapped those feelings around myself like a blanket. Comfort and warmth filled my senses. And I felt suddenly joyful. None of the fear, or dread, or evil could cut through my blanket. I sighed. I was beginning to understand what happiness meant, it was times like these that made people realise what they thought they knew.

"Bella?" Felix's voice floated outside, unimportant. But I answered.

"I'm not tense," I replied, and my voice calm.

I noticed a small, black curtain at the far end of the room. A sliver of light pressed through one of the sides, giving a flicker of light into the room. Someone must have come in through the curtain, or out, because there wasn't an ounce of light before. The curtain was unrecognisable in the dark, but the finger of light helped me to differentiate between what was nothing, and what wasn't.

There was a small wooden table to one side of the room, half of it was cast in shadow. The floor consisted of wooden planks, although I could feel them underneath my fingers as I brushed them against the wood. I glanced at Felix, and realised he was watching me sweep my gaze across the room. Then something clicked.

We were in the theatre. The theatre from Alice's visions. This was an empty dressing room. But what was through the curtain? The stage? The back of the stage? I was lost in thought for a moment, until I felt a draught brush across my skin and raise the hairs on my arms. The black curtain had been moved, and the one person I didn't want to see before I died stood in front of me. Aro.

"Bella, so nice of you to join us." I watched him almost glide like a shadow until he was in front of my feet. I had to crane my neck to see his face. His dark eyes and almost glowing skin.

It seemed that most of the vampires here had spilled through the curtain now, and my invisible blanket was having trouble dampening my terror. I could feel it show in my eyes. Taste the beat of my heart on my tongue, almost metallic, almost like blood.

"Demetri, Jane, Felix, you are needed on the front row." Aro's arm pointed towards the curtain and the three vampires disappeared from sight.

Another vampire came into my direct view and spoke softly, but loud enough for me to hear.

"Master, they are struggling, I would have better control if I was to keep them in my sight." I realised the voice belonged to Corin long before I recognised the features.

"Go, Corin, keep them under control, cloud their senses, but not enough that they don't know what is happening. It would be a shame for the entertainment to have a lesser effect. Especially after all of our planning. Make as little as possible an illusion. I want them to know." There was a thread of amusement in his sinister voice.

"Are you ready, child?" I wasn't ready for anything. It took all of my concentration to simply hear the words being spoken. The fight or flight response was starting to kick in, and I was panicking. I could feel the adrenaline pumping, but I had nothing to do with it. I couldn't escape, and there was no way I could fight.

"Santiago, bring her out after I have welcomed our guests." I felt a swift movement and Aro had left before I could blink. Like he had vanished in mid-air, the only trace that he hadn't was the gentle sway of the black curtain.

There was at least seven vampires here, and that certainly didn't make me feel calm. My warm blanket had shattered into pieces like glass, and I sat exposed to whatever was coming my way.

~*~

Santiago took my right elbow and lifted me until I was standing on my own two feet. His cape brushed against my leg and made me tense and still. I noticed his cloak was a dark grey. It wasn't as dark as the one I had seen Jane wear, but it was darker than most. He was close to the inner circle, I suppose it made sense. He was being trusted with me. Being trusted not to spoil things.

It didn't make me feel better when I glanced at his burgundy eyes. There was intelligence behind those eyes, not just a predator.

We moved slowly towards the black curtain. My weight creaked on the wooden floor boards, but Santiago's didn't. He moved like all the other vampires could. Graceful. Not just gracefully, but like he knew each and every muscle in his body, and he could make them work in a way that humans couldn't. I always associated that grace with something special. It was. But usually I saw Edward or Alice on the end of it. Seeing Santiago with that kind of grace was more than unnerving, it was terrifying.

I didn't notice until now that he still had hold of my elbow, and was gently dragging me towards the black curtain. My body didn't want to move, but with his help, it moved. I stopped in front of the curtain and reached my hand out to touch it. It was cold and rough and nothing like it looked. You could definitely feel the rough fibres, coarse against the skin.

Santiago parted the curtain and led me through. There was more light behind the stage. The walls were black and the floor wooden as before, but now an orange light bulb hung from the ceiling. It gave a faint glow to wash away the black darkness.

Backstage was like a narrow, long corridor. Only two exits. One was the way we came in, and the other was through the red curtain in front of us. Santiago continued to walk, half dragging me with him by my elbow. I kept my eyes on the ground so I wouldn't trip.

When we finally stopped moving, I looked up. We were at the side of the stage now, but still hidden. I could see the empty theatre seats and the stage in front. Aro, Caius and Marcus were in my direct vision. Jane, Demetri and Felix were sat patiently in the front row. My first thoughts were, what the hell is going on? But I never had the chance to wonder, because Aro's voice cut through my body like a thousand tiny daggers. It made me shiver and back up into Santiago who was now stood behind me.

"I would like to take the opportunity to thank Edward and Rosalie for joining us this evening." My heart sped up and I knew that something bad was going to happen. I didn't see Edward or Rosalie. I had only been in a theatre twice before and the only place they could be sat was in a box.

I was completely pressed into the line of Santiago's body. I knew that as soon as I got up onto that stage, everything around me would come crumbling down. Aro's gaze turned to me, and the look in his eyes was incomprehensible. I didn't know what emotions he was carrying, but the gaze told me that I really didn't want to get up onto the stage.

One of his powdered hands reached out in my direction, as if beckoning me to come into his arms. I shook my head and tried to turn around. Hands gripped my shoulders and pushed me towards Aro. I stumbled and fell onto the floor, still hidden from most of the view. I grabbed the edge of the red curtain, but my hands wouldn't grip it. They wouldn't work because the panic was now consuming me and overriding any adrenaline I had. Or maybe the adrenaline was used up and worn out?

I blinked and was suddenly on the stage, in the center of the stage. The lights above were almost blinding, the emptiness of the theatre made it all the more appalling.

My hands were shaking and I bunched them into fists. It couldn't get any worse than this, it couldn't. But when I felt a smooth, icy hand touch my cheek, I knew it could.

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**A/N: What did you think? Seriously.**

Thanks to everyone reading this story! [xparawhorextwerdx lady dragona luv2beloved eclipsedbyjacob VampireAshes and everyone else]


	24. Chapter 24 Dying

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer**

**Thanks for the reviews last chapter!**

**This one's short! [but not sweet]**

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**Chapter 24 - Dying.**

**BPOV**

That same icy hand that belonged to Aro forced me to meet his gaze. I could feel my pulse speeding up even more, almost feel the blood surging through my veins. If I could feel it, Aro certainly could.

"Are you ready for death?" He asked, and my gaze was suddenly on Rosalie and Edward. They were slumped in chairs in the box above. Is this what Alice meant by unconscious? I wanted to reach out to them, I wanted to touch them. I let my gaze fall to the vampire who was to the side of the stage, his eyes on the two unconscious vampires. Corin. Corin was controlling them. Keeping them from fighting, playing with their minds.

I should have been feeling the worst possible dread and terror right now, but it was being pushed away by anger and stubborness. The only thought racing through my mind was,_ how dare they do this? How dare they do this to my family?_

I wondered if I could somehow distract Corin, but I knew that was useless. One human versus seven vampires. That would take more than a miracle.

I looked at the audience. The audience consisting of three vampires. Felix seemed to be enjoying the show, he met my eyes and smirked and leered. Demetri seemed disinterested, but he wouldn't meet my eyes. Conflict of interests maybe? Did he agree to Aro killing me?

Then there was Jane. Her red eyes shining like distant stars, if stars were ruthless and evil. I once described her as delicate and lovely. No, no, no. She was anything but delicate and lovely. What was outside was by no means like what was inside her. I tried to think of a word for her, but the only example that came into my mind was a siren. Beautiful and lovely and luring people to their deaths. But didn't those who had been swayed by a siren enjoy their deaths? Didn't they drown blissfully? Not with Jane.

She looked at me for a moment, then turned her head towards a side door by the seats. A fire door. No one moved towards it, but Jane kept her gaze on it, as though she could set it on fire by the intensity of that gaze.

"I'll ask again, child. Do you want to die?" Aro asked.

My voice was barely a whisper, "No."

"So be it."

I didn't feel him crouch beside me until it was too late. The black cloak covered most of my body as he lay me against the floor. My head was pushed to one side to expose my neck. Everything was in slow motion. Painfully slow. I felt a sharp pain in my neck and gasped, before I started to drown in invisible water. I couldn't keep to the surface. It was like being on pain killers. Like a blurred, liquid haze that leads you into unconsciousness. But before I went into that peaceful place, I saw blurred images coming through that fire exit. Blurred, shouting images, although the sounds were muffled and incomprehensible. I lost the fight to the water, and began to sink, my eyes closed and welcomed the black nothingness that would be my death.

~*~

As soon as I hit the black water, it changed to fire. Burning, scorching, nothing-like-it pain filled my senses in a rush. The fire was spreading, the excruciating pain began at my neck, and was spreading through my arms at an unbearable rate. It was happening too fast, the pain was already reaching my legs.

I wanted to scream but I couldn't. My breath wouldn't come because my throat was on fire. I managed to almost gurgle, but that didn't make me feel any better, I needed a release. I tried to open my eyes, but everything was blurred by the flaming agony.

I felt icy hands hold me down and muffled voices swam in my mind. I knew one of those voices. I concentrated on it.

"Bella, Bella, Bella, don't hurt yourself. I'm here now. Please don't scratch yourself. I'm here, my love." The voice sounded anguished and panicked. I wanted to say, _don't be sad_. But I couldn't find my voice.

Another pair of icy cold hands were on my cheeks, delicately running circles up to my forehead. I tried to focus, but I couldn't.

The pain finally spread to the center of my body, the pain worse than anything.

"We need more hands to hold her, she's too strong." That was another voice who cut through the pain. Female. A female voice.

The pain took over my thoughts and my eyes closed and started to water. The heat was everywhere, but the burning was beginning to stop. Like the fire had burnt to embers and would eventually be ash. I felt relieved, until everything started to go cold. Too cold.

I finally managed to scream. Loud and high and glass-shattering.

"Carlisle! Carlisle, what's happening? Why does she feel cold?" My favourite voice asked, but I was concentrating on the blood in my body turning to ice.

"Oh my god, Carlisle, you better look at this. Blood."

"Everyone, pin her down."

I couldn't feel my body, the cold was making me tired. So unbearably tired. The last voice I heard spoke so loudly that it almost pulled me out of the eminent slumber.

"She can't be dead!"

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**A/N: Dun dun dun....**

**Next chapter is Edward's POV. Let's find out who all those voices belonged to. Oh, and Carlisle gets a little bloody. Mmmmm.**


	25. Chapter 25 Loss and Pain In The End

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to SM**

**Thanks to everyone reading this story! Shoutouts: xparawhorextwerdx, Lady Dragona, Luv2beloved, VampireAshes, Sheejan, EclipsedbyJacob.**

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**Chapter 25 - Loss and Pain In The End**

Rosalie and I continued to talk. Mainly about our lives together so far. Isn't that what people do when they know they are about to die? Talk about their lives, wait for death to make that last decision?

I didn't get the chance to answer my own questions, as the door flew open and five vampires swiftly moved into the room. Aro, Caius, Marcus, Felix and Jane. Jane was back. That could mean only one thing. If my heart could beat, it would be beating uncontrollably now, trying to escape the confines of its eternal cage.

Aro was the first to approach the both of us. Rosalie's hand tightened in my own and I held onto it reassuringly.

I heard Aro shout an order, "Now!" And then I started to sink into an unconscious state.

~*~

I fought against the invisible hold that was stopping me from seeing what was truly happening on the stage. The power was now trying to act as a tranquiliser. Trying to put me back into a dreamless sleep.

I wasn't going to give Corin the opportunity.

I turned to my sister, Rosalie. She was slipping further, despite my encouragement. I felt the invisible tug pull me after her, and I fought as much as I could. It was too late though, I was sinking.

~*~

I was sinking one moment, then rising the next. I gasped as I reached the surface and Alice was in front of me.

"Edward? Are you awake?" I glanced into her face and smiled. I would never be as happy to see her as I was now.

"I am." I turned to face Rosalie, who was staggering in Emmett's arms. "Is Rosalie--"

"Going to be okay?" Alice finished, then she smiled. "Most probably. Now let's get down there." Following the direction Alice was pointing, I saw that she meant the stage. I nodded.

I leaped after her and landed slightly off center. "Still a little shaky?" she asked. I nodded and looked around the room.

Near the back doors, the Volturi guard were stood. Hoods up, waiting for their masters. Jasper was crouched, ready to attack, but no one else was in such an offensive position.

Carlisle was in the center aisle, speaking to Aro.

"No, my friend, we have but done our job." He waved his left hand, and the Volturi guards disappeared through the exits. As did the three brothers. Aro stopped at the fire exit and turned to face me.

"We'll be seeing you again," he spoke and gave a wry smile. The Denali's were still being defensive at both exits, but the Volturi had left.

Why had they left? They surely didn't think we could kill them? Or was it because justice had been served, in the eyes of Aro? Either way, there was more to this than meets the eye.

"He bit her twice," Alice stated and I turned back to the stage. I was suddenly beside my sister who was looking at the bite on Bella's neck. "This one is worse," she said.

Carlisle ran over to us and bent over Bella's writhing form. "Is there any way to save her? Can we get the venom out, like last time?"

"Edward, it's too late for that." I looked at Alice. "The venom has already began to spread, but it's moving faster than it should."

The three of us stared at each other for a long second. Worry was etched on both Carlisle and Alice's features. Doubt was running through my mind.

"Bella!" A voice sounded from across the room, and moved at a blurred speed until it reached us. Esme was separating Bella's hands from her arms. She was trying to claw at her own flesh.

I leant over and looked into her eyes, that were pure white, the irises rolled upwards because of the pain.

"Bella, Bella, Bella, don't hurt yourself. I'm here now. Please don't scratch yourself. I'm here, my love." I said and watched her face relax slightly, but her features were still unbearably pained.

Rosalie came closer and took Bella's face into her hands. "This helped when I was changing. It soothed the burning somewhat." I nodded and started running my hands up and down Bella's arms. Carlisle ran towards the exit. His parting thought was,_ I need to get my emergency bag out of the hired car._

"Where's Carlisle going?" Esme panicked.

"He needs some medical supplies," Alice answered. I could see him coming back in her mind.

"Oh." Esme took one of Bella's arms.

Suddenly, Bella was kicking and screaming and shaking uncontrollably. I tried to hold down both her legs, but strangely they were resisting my hold. I was too shocked to move. I sat and watched her forcing Esme, Rosalie and Alice of her body.

"We need more hands to hold her, she's too strong." Alice's voice was straining with the effort to hold down Bella's right arm. Esme was on the left. Rosalie had moved to her torso. Jasper and Emmett each held one of her legs.

"Edward, snap out of it, get her head!" I nodded and moved quickly. We just about managed to hold her down.

"Why the hell is she so strong?" Emmett asked. No one answered, no one knew how to.

I felt movement behind me, and Carlisle was kneeling next to the neck bite. I concentrated on keeping Bella as calm as I could. I spoke softly and kept one of my hands on her forehead. I watched her face intently, and her lips started to turn blue. Her skin was losing its heat and softness.

"Carlisle! Carlisle, what's happening? Why does she feel cold?" I asked and my voice was full of panic and uncertainty.

Carlisle opened Bella's mouth and put a thermometer under her tongue and I knew he was listening to her pulse. It was slowing too fast.

"Oh my god, Carlisle, you better look at this. Blood." I followed Alice's gaze. Bella started to have what seemed like a seizure and blood was dripping from under her nails.

"Everyone, pin her down." Carlisle said seriously. Jasper wasn't breathing, which I was glad of.

Bella's eyes came into focus, they were still brown but didn't seem like Bella's eyes. They had lost their vibrancy, they had lost their life. Blood started to pulse out of her mouth.

"What the hell?" Emmett shouted.

"I can't hear her heart!" Rosalie almost screamed. I listened and her chest seemed empty. The blood that was pulsing through her veins had stopped, as had the blood coming out of her body. I collapsed against the wooden floor and screamed.

"She can't be dead!"

"Alice, CPR, now!" Carlisle barked and started blowing air into Bella's blood filled mouth. Alice pushed against Bella's heart after Carlisle pushed two breaths into her lungs. 1,2,3,4,5. Then Carlisle pushed in two more breaths of air.

I looked at his mouth, covered in Bella's blood, and suddenly felt envious. _How dare he touch her blood, it belongs to me!_ A snarl rippled out through my throat and Rosalie jumped in my way. We tumbled down from the stage and into the center aisle. Snarling and trying to rip at each others throats.

"Emmett, Jasper, get him out of here!" I continued to fight as I was dragged towards the exit. _My singer, my singer, my singer!_

~*~

"Dude, you know he has the best control out of all of us. He's not going to touch her blood. You know that, get your beast under control."

I looked at Emmett in defeat. I nodded and slumped against the brick work on the outside of the desolate theatre.

I caught a glimpse of blonde hair but then it vanished. I wondered if it was real or not. I shook my head and tried to gather my thoughts.

"Dude, what is it?" Emmett asked.

"I thought I saw Jane, but my head's a mess right now."

Tanya came out through the side door. "I'm sorry, Edward. I know how hard this must be for you." She didn't try to come any closer, which I was glad of. I watched her sit on the pavement and sob. Her hands were clenched into fists. I saw in her mind how wrecked she was about Bella's death. But Bella wasn't dead. She couldn't be. Survivor, she's a survivor.

"Want me to check what's going on, bro?" Emmett asked and put his hands on my shoulders.

I shook my head. Bella wasn't dead, and if she was, I could do this. It's the least I could do for her. "I can do it myself," I said flatly.

"I'll stay out here,"--Jasper sat beside Tanya and was trying to soothe her--"I don't want to risk it."

Emmett opened the door and we stepped back inside.

"Alice, you can stop now. Alice, Alice, let go." Carlisle was trying to get Alice to stop pumping on Bella's heart. I listened and everything was still deadly silent.

"No, you can't stop!" I growled and ran to the stage beside Alice. Alice was still pumping and sobbing at the same time.

"I won't let go, I can't, not yet, no." Alice was speaking softly to herself. Carlisle had stopped blowing air into Bella's mouth. I reached over to start but Emmett grabbed my arm.

"I don't think you want to do that, Edward. There's still blood in her mouth." I looked down and saw that there was. I was kneeling in the small pool of cold blood next to her mouth. Her head was on the side. Her skin was cold and pale, but not grey yet. I looked up at Carlisle who had blood on his white sleeve and the knees of his jeans.

"You both need to stop this," he spoke softly, his face was empty, but you could see the pain in his eyes. Carlisle was good at hiding emotion, but his eyes always betrayed him.

I could see the certainty in his mind. Bella was dead. I didn't want to believe him, but deep down I did. I trusted Carlisle, I knew he was right.

"I'm going to kill them," I snarled and started to run towards the exit.

"Kate!" shouted Esme as I ran for the door. Kate dived onto me and started to send shocks into my body.

"You. Can't. Get. Revenge." Kate said each word in between shocks. "If you try now, they will kill you, wait and think this through Edward. Bella won't want you dead."

"No, she wouldn't, but I want me dead. I should have protected her. I should have done what I was supposed to do. It's all my fault, I deserve to die."

"How would the rest of us feel if you die as well as Bella? A double whammy of death. Stop being so fucking selfish for once, Edward. You're not the only one in pain over this. Look around you." Kate stopped shocking me for a second and I looked around the room.

Irina was sobbing and being comforted by Carmen and Eleazar. I listened to her mind. _My fault, my fault, I needed to make amends, and now she's gone. _

Esme was holding Rosalie, but her own thoughts were morose. _Bella, our Bella, our Bella_.

Alice was still pumping at Bella's lifeless form. _You're not dead, dammit. You're my best friend, you're my sister. You've got to pull through, we are supposed to stick together. Dammit._

I glanced up at Kate and nodded once. "We'll wait. But that's all I can promise." There was a hint of anger threading its way into my voice.

"That's all I'm asking," she replied.

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**A/N: Let me know what you think!!!! Review!!!**

**Oh, it's a bit nasty though, right?**

**I'm going away until Monday, so I put this chapter up early!**

**Oh, and if you want to, I've got another story up called Showdown...**


	26. Chapter 26 New Beginning

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer!**

**Thanks to everyone reading this story!**

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**Chapter 26 - New Beginning**

"Alice, you need to let go," Carlisle repeated. I walked up to Alice and knelt beside her. She looked at me. I nodded.

"I don't know if I can stop. She's not supposed to die." The way she said it made me look at Carlisle. Carlisle was thinking the same as me. _What does she mean?_

"Alice, Alice. Stop. Talk to us. What's wrong?" Esme asked as she came over to us.

"She's supposed to be a vampire!" Alice shouted. Everything seemed eerily quiet as Alice's voice reverberated throughout the theatre.

"Alice, stop. Please," Carlisle asked. Alice finally nodded and moved her hands away from Bella's chest. She fell into Esme's waiting arms.

None of us looked at Bella's body. We couldn't bear to. We stood there for what seemed like a painfully long time, but it must have been less than a minute.

"Edward, go outside with Alice and Esme," I looked at Carlisle and nodded. I didn't want to leave the body, but it wasn't Bella anymore. I knew that. Or I thought I did.

I heard a gasp as I turned away. My head spun back round and my first thought was, _this can't be real._

"Bella?" I asked and walked forwards. She was sat up, her arms on either side of her body. Her head turned towards me and I must have looked startled, because her eyes were a brilliant shade of red.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. Her voice was higher than it had been as a human. I shook my head and smiled. I heard Alice scream behind me and then she ran past me in a blur. She landed in Bella's lap and seemed to be trying to squeeze everything out of her.

"Bella, Bella, oh, thank god! Oh, Bella, you had me so worried. Don't you ever do that again!" Then Alice kissed Bella's cheeks. "Oh, you're not cold anymore."

Bella looked puzzled. Her skin had the same pale tone as the rest of us, her lips were no longer blue, but a light shade of pink. She looked exactly like Bella, but different. I couldn't put my finger on it. Her features seemed sharper, but the expression was completely Bella.

"Why does everyone look like they've seen a train wreck?" she asked. I couldn't resist any longer. I walked up to her and put my arms around her shoulders. Alice eased off her lap so I could move my arms around her waist. I looked into her eyes, her newborn ravenous eyes, but saw Bella.

Suddenly, her lips met mine and we kissed. Her lips were no longer warm, but the same temperature as mine. My arms around her waist wrapped tighter, and I didn't crush her. I seperated from the kiss and took a step back, holding her at arms length for a moment. I marvelled in the fact that she was no longer breakable, that I could touch her and not be worried about killing her.

I moved closer again, and it was me who started the kiss, but Bella kissed me back. I pushed my tongue into her mouth and tasted her. How long I've been wanting to do that! I didn't want to stop, and neither did she. We were both eager and nothing around us mattered.

I heard a staged cough behind me and Bella broke the kiss. "Oops," I said and she laughed.

"That used to be my line!" Her eyes sparkled with joy.

Jasper looked at Bella with wide eyes. He expected her to be a monster, but she wasn't, or at least she wasn't right now.

"It's okay, Jasper, she won't hurt anyone," Alice said to her husband and patted his shoulder. He shook his head and stepped forward.

"Bella?" he asked gingerly. She smiled at him. "How are you feeling?"

"Shouldn't you already know that?" she retorted and laughed, the sound was like bells in my ears. Jasper shook his head and smiled.

"I guess I do," he replied and stepped back to Alice, slightly in front of her, worried that Bella might lash out. But he was astonished. _Amazing, Edward, I've never seen a newborn like this, _he thought.

"Bella's Bella," I replied and put my arm around my Love's waist and pulled her closer.

"Get off me, Jasper, I want to see my sister, urgh." I turned to see Alice arguing with Jasper. She was elated to see Bella as she had in her visions, but Jasper was still being overly cautious with her.

"Jasper, let go of Alice," Bella said sternly, her eyebrows raised. "I'm not going to tear her to shreds, idiot." I laughed, a loud, joyous sound that came from my lips.

Alice was suddenly wrapped around the other side of Bella, "Oh, Bella, I thought you were going to die on me, don't you ever do that again, I swear to you..."

"Can someone tell me what happened? All I can remember is being on the stage, but it's all very vague. Did something happen to me that I should know about?" Bella asked. Carlisle spoke through to me in his mind, _should we tell her?_

I shook my head, _no_. She had already gone through so much. She didn't need to know the horrors of what happened.

"Oh. My. God!" A booming voice shouted. Emmett was suddenly in front of us, inspecting Bella. "Well, she's not exactly a ravenous beast, is she? Ow!" Rosalie was now next to him, scowling.

"Hi, Bella," she said. _God, I don't even know what to say to her, wow, she's gorgeous._ I chuckled and Rosalie looked at me. _Shit, he heard everything I said_, she thought. I nodded. If she could've blushed, she would have been the colour of a ripe tomato.

Everything was going so fast. The Denali's were still stood the furthest away, looking at us in shock and awe. I looked over at Carlisle and Esme, both smiling and marvelling in the sight of vampire Bella. Vampire Bella. I shook my head.

"Edward, I feel strange." I turned to Bella.

"You're a vampire now, love. Everything will be strange for a while." She nodded. I tried to listen into her thoughts now that she was a vampire. It never occurred to me to try, usually thoughts came to me and concentration was needed to block them out. I heard nothing. Just as silent as before.

"I still can't hear your thoughts," I said.

"My brain must still be working on a different frequency. Not that I mind, it would be majorly embarrassing for you to know what I'm thinking right now."

"What would that be?" I asked and gave my best crooked grin.

"Er, guys, I think we have a situation." I turned to Alice who spoke urgently. "Jane is on her way back, she's supposed to retrieve the body, but there is no body. The Volturi think Bella's dead, but for how much longer?"

"Shit," Emmett cursed.

"I know the back way out of here, me and Edward could get to the cars and wait for everyone there?" Bella said. I kissed her forehead and she smiled.

"It's the best we've got, now go," Alice answered and I ran after Bella.

~*~

We moved down the streets in a blur of speed until we reached where the cars had been parked. I picked the information from Carlisle before we had left. Bella stopped suddenly in front of Tanya's car and looked like she'd seen a ghost.

"Bella? Bella, what's wrong?" I took her hand in my own. Then she smiled mischievously.

"No way. No bloody way. Wow." I looked at her.

"What?" I asked.

"I think, I think I'm reading your mind. You're wondering whether I need to hunt." I looked at her. Just looked at the smooth curve of her lips.

"What am I thinking now?" I asked her.

"This," she said and locked her lips to mine.

"Hey guys, I'm proud of you both and all, but maybe this isn't the time or place to play tonsil tennis," Emmett's booming voice shouted as he neared us both. We broke the kiss and I wrapped my arm around Bella's waist.

_Edward, don't think that this means you're no longer a prude_, he thought. The next minute he was on the ground with Bella on top of him, pinning him to the floor. _Man, this is hot_, he added. Bella smacked him across the face and got up, just as the everyone else was nearing us.

"What the hell did you hit me for? That bloody hurt!" Bella smacked him again.

"The first one was for calling Edward a prude, the second was for thinking that me attacking you is hot." Emmett looked from me to Bella with his eyes wide and his mouth gaping.

"Are you telling me--"

"I heard every thought," Bella replied smugly.

"Bella, is this true?" Carlisle asked as he stood to the side of Emmett.

"Yes. Yes, I can read minds." The look on Carlisle's face was almost worth the pain I'd gone through these past few hours. Almost.

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**A/N: READ AND REVIEW!**

**Next chapter is Bella's POV!**


	27. Chapter 27 Somewhere I Belong

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to STEPHENIE MEYER!**

**Thanks for the awesome reviews. Sorry, it's been a while, but I hope this satiates your thirst...**

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**Chapter 27 - Somewhere I Belong**

I felt the drowning water evaporate from my skin, and I was suddenly no longer being swallowed by darkness. The sun was above my face and I was lying on a sandy beach. I felt dizzy and disorientated as I sat up. I put my hands over my eyes to shield my gaze from the burning rays. I looked around. Sand. White sand for miles, particles glistening against the sunlight like glass. There was no sea, no sign of the water that had been drowning me.

I looked down at my clothes, dried blood stained the white shirt I was wearing in patches. I stood up shakily and turned around, confused. Where the hell was I?

"Hello?" I shouted. "Is anyone out there?" I felt a slight pain in my neck and touched it lightly. My fingers came away with blood. I wanted to scream, but the terror was too great.

"Bella?" I voice shouted from behind me. I turned and tried to make out the profile walking towards me.

"Harry? Harry Clearwater? Where am I? I thought you were--"

"Dead?" He asked, "I am." I started to panic.

"Am I...dead?" I asked and suddenly noticed the teeth marks on my wrist. I shivered.

"I don't think you are, look"--he pointed past me to the vast expanse of sand, which was now turning to liquid. It was changing colour too. It was changing to sea water--"That's the way to heaven, Bella. You're here because you have a choice."

"I have a what?" I felt a sudden sharp stabbing pain in my chest and I keeled over. Harry clearwater bent down with me.

"This isn't heaven or hell. This isn't anywhere, not yet. Not ever. You have to decide if you want to get out of this fire, you have to decide if you want peace."

"I'm not understanding any of this," I replied and screamed out as another shot of pain hit me in the same spot.

"I'm waiting here, Bella. I'm waiting for everyone I love. I want us to make the journey across together." He pointed to a small boat that had now appeared. "That must be for you. It has your name on it." I looked closer and saw 'Bella' etched into the wood. I felt dazed and disorientated, this felt like a strange dream. Is that what it was? Was I dreaming?

"Will that take me to heaven?" I asked and braced myself for another burst of pain.

"Yes, no, maybe. Heaven, hell or back where you came from. But you have to take your boat when it comes." I nodded and Harry helped me to stand. Another sharp stab of pain pummelled against my chest and Harry kept me standing until it passed.

"Can you help me to the boat?" I asked.

"I can do that." We walked across the sand together and stopped next to the boat.

"You know, I hate seawater," I said as I climbed into the boat.

"Who said anything about seawater?" He said and waved. He then walked away across the beach. I felt puzzled for a moment and waited for another burst of pain to hit me, but it never came. The boat disappeared from beneath me, the sand was gone and the sun had been put out. Everything went black, and then I woke.

I took a sharp gasp and opened my eyes. Everything was strangely familiar, but I didn't know how. I focused on the ceiling, the beams seemed so close, yet I knew they were metres from my eyes. Everything was sharper and easier to see. The grains of wood, the fibres in the red curtain, the particles of dust in the air...it was all new. It was all vampire.

I took a breath but realised I didn't need to breath. It felt slightly uncomfortable to inflate and deflate my lungs for the sheer hell of it. But I knew I needed air to speak.

My sense of smell was also keener, like that of a dog. I could smell the scent of vampire all around me, and underneath that, different flavours. Vanilla, chocolate, camomile...were these the smells of the Cullen's underneath the strangely sweet scent that I knew them for?

I sat up and heard a scream. My mind was running a thousand thoughts a minute. I saw Edward looking at me in astonishment, I saw everyone else and wondered what they were thinking. Then another part of me wondered how the hell I had changed, and then another part of me was staring at the pixie in my lap.

"Bella, Bella, oh, thank god! Oh, Bella, you had me so worried. Don't you ever do that again!" Alice said to me and then started to kiss my cheeks. "Oh, you're not cold anymore."

_Cold?_ I thought and looked again at the faces of the vampires surrounding me.

"Why does everyone look like they've seen a train wreck?" I asked and Edward wrapped his arms around my waist. It felt like an eternity since I touched him, and suddenly, I was kissing him. Our lips and mouths both felt warm, his breath no longer cool but warm. It was strange. The kiss was gentle and the Edward pulled away. I felt like sulking.

He smiled and looked into my eyes for a fraction of a second until his lips locked against mine. He pushed at my lips until I opened them and then his tongue was in my mouth, drinking at me like a dying man. This wasn't how Edward usually kissed, I remembered that much. I kissed him back with everything I had, feeling the softness of his bronze hair as he ran his hands down my body...then someone coughed. I had completely forgotten about the company...No, actually, I hadn't. It was just not important at that moment, but it seemed to be now. I pulled away first.

"Oops," Edward said and I tried to stifle my laugh.

"That used to be my line!" I playfully punched him in the arm.

"It's okay, Jasper, she won't hurt anyone." I turned my attention to Alice, who was now stood next to Jasper. Jasper stepped forward, and I found myself blinking twice to see if all of the patterns on his skin were real. Scars. I glanced at my hand momentarily and realised his scars resembled the savage bite on my arm. Battle scars.

"Bella?" he asked gingerly. I looked back up and smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Shouldn't you already know that?" I was feeling pretty good considering.

"I guess I do."

"Bella's Bella," Edward replied to an unspoken thought that I guessed was from Jasper, and his arm snaked around my waist.

"Get off me, Jasper, I want to see my sister, urgh." I felt my eyes widen as Alice was struggling in Jasper's hold. _What a way to treat a lady_! I thought.

"Jasper, let go of Alice. I'm not going to tear her to shreds, idiot." I put my hands on my hips and Edward laughed. I smiled in spite of myself.

"Oh, Bella, I thought you were going to die on me, don't you ever do that again, I swear to you..." _Do what? What happened? _I thought.

"Can someone tell me what happened? All I can remember is being on the stage, but it's all very vague. Did something happen to me that I should know about?" No-one spoke up. I saw Edward's head shake from the corner of my eye. I doubted I'd have seen it if I was human. I'd find out sooner or later, regardless of if he wanted me to know or not.

"Oh. My. God!" Emmett was suddenly in front of me. "Well, she's not exactly a ravenous beast, is she? Ow!" Rosalie smacked him, and I found myself staring at Rosalie. She seemed even more beautiful than before. Marbled perfection.

"Hi, Bella." I smiled in response.

I felt a strange buzzing sound in my head, it was almost like the sound of a wasp, but continuous and drumming.

"Edward, I feel strange." I grabbed Edward's arm.

"You're a vampire now, love. Everything will be strange for a while." I gulped and nodded. A dull fire was in the back of my throat. The buzzing was worse though.

"I still can't hear your thoughts."

"My brain must still be working on a different frequency. Not that I mind, it would be majorly embarrassing for you to know what I'm thinking right now." I wasn't thinking anything that embarrassing. I just wanted to see Edward's reaction.

"What would that be?"

"Erm, guys, I think we have a situation." Alice saved me. "Jane is on her way back, she's supposed to retrieve the body, but there is no body. The Volturi think Bella's dead, but for how much longer?"

"Shit," Emmett cursed.

"I know the back way out of here, me and Edward could get to the cars and wait for everyone there?" I suggested. I did know the way out of here for some reason. Parts of my human life were still with me, but hazed over with fine mist.

"It's the best we've got, now go," Alice said and I ran through the back of the curtain, dragging Edward behind me. Me. Faster than Edward. I wanted to laugh.

~*~

The buzzing in my head started to dim as we ran. I thought that maybe it was the fresh air, but I was surprised by what it was. I concentrated on the faint voice speaking through the dim buzz.

_Once we get out of here, I'll teach her how to hunt. She must be thirsty by now. Newborns always are. But she's not like any creature I've ever seen. She's beautiful._

I stopped running and stood a metre from the car. I felt like crying and expected the tears to fall, but nothing came. My eyes stung slightly, but that was all. The voice speaking in my mind was Edward, but he never said I thing.

"Bella? Bella, what's wrong?" Then it clicked.

"No way. No bloody way. Wow."

"What?" Edward asked. He looked cute when he was worried.

"I think, I think I'm reading your mind. You're wondering whether I need to hunt."

"What am I thinking now?" He asked. _Kiss me_.

"This," I said and pulled his lips to mine.

"Hey guys, I'm proud of you both and all, but maybe this isn't the time or place to play tonsil tennis." I broke away and turned to see Emmett getting closer. I kept my hand in Edward's.

_Edward, don't think that this means you're no longer a prude_, he thought. I just looked at him for a second before I let the anger engulf me. _No way is my man a prude! _I hurled into Emmett and he was on the floor in a second. _Wow, _I thought, _I'm stronger than I thought I was_. I grinned at Emmett.

_Man, this is hot_, he suddenly added. My moment of marvelling was broken and I smacked him and got up. Emmett followed.

"What the hell did you hit me for? That bloody hurt!" _HA! It hurt! _I hit him again.

"The first one was for calling Edward a prude, the second was for thinking that me attacking you is hot." The look on Emmett's face was priceless.

"Are you telling me--"

"I heard every thought," I interrupted smugly.

"Bella, is this true?" Carlisle appeared and asked.

"Yes. Yes, I can read minds." The rest of the Cullen's gathered round and I felt like I was beginning to fit in. Finally finding a place in this world.

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**A/N: Tell me what you think! Any ideas? Theories? OOOOH! Let me know!**

**This chapter actually has a song! *faints***

**Somewhere I belong - Linkin Park. You know, because I like them....**


	28. Chapter 28 Development

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer!**

**I made a HUGE cock-up of this. Okay, ignore the chapter you read! I missed one out! [thanks for telling me Lady Dragona!]**

**haven't I got egg on my face????**

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**Chapter 28 - Development**

"I hate to break this up, but I think we have company," Tanya said as she hurried over. She pointed back in the direction we had come from. Five vampires were approaching, and as I saw each face, I remembered who they were. Jane, Alec, Felix, Demetri, Corin.

"Five against thirteen, I think we can chance it," Emmett stated and flexed his muscles.

"Bella is not fighting; she doesn't even know how to fight!" I scowled at Edward.

"I'm stronger than Emmett, to hell I'm not fighting!" I replied and crossed my arms over my chest.

"No-one is going to be fighting, not if we don't have to." _There may be only five of them, but they have powers that we can't possibly shield against. _Both Edward and I nodded to Carlisle.

"So what are we going to do?" Carmen asked as she joined the close-knit group of vampires, of which I was now a part of.

"Find out what they want, although it's most definitely obvious what they want. Maybe we can stall them until Bella can get away, with Edward?" Jasper added.

I made eye contact with Alice, to see if she had any suggestions, but then I felt a blackness wash over me.

"Bella!" Someone shouted.

_Four Volturi guards watching a pile of putrid, purple smoke rise up into the air. Felix dead, along with the Cullen's and Denali's...minus Edward and Bella._

Light came back to my eyes and Edward was crouched over me.

"Bella, what happened?" Alice's voice asked, and she moved so she could see my face. Concern showed in her eyes, but underneath that was the terror of the vision she had seen. The vision I had seen.

"Are they always that vivid? Reading the visions from someone else's mind?" I asked. It was Alice who spoke.

"Bella, I don't think you were seeing the vision like Edward sees it. You were seeing it like I see it. When I first started having visions, I would usually pass out for the duration like you did, but then I learned some control. Now it's like a momentary daydream."

"This can't be happening," I said and felt like I wanted to cry. I was a freak even to the vampires.

"I've never seen anything like this, Carlisle. Even when we scoured for talent across the world, no-one had such a...potential. No-one had such a fast change, or a violent one at that." Eleazar's voice was full of astonishment with a hint of speculation.

"It's like she's soaking up powers," said Kate. "I wonder if she'll have mine."

Edward grabbed Kate's arm. "Don't, this might be damaging her. You see how upset she is. We can't force all of this straight away."

"But Edward, she might be the answer to our prayers...metaphorically speaking."

"Oh, it's too late for prayers, I think," a voice said from behind the mass of vampires. My view was obscured and I so desperately wanted to see what was going on. I stood up and saw it was Felix who had spoken. Jane was stood to his left, a wry smile spreading across her lips. My mind was screaming at me._ Traitor!_

"I think Aro would like to take a look at Bella before she goes back home with you. After all, that was the purpose of her surviving."

"Barely," growled Rosalie as she moved to the front of our group of vampires, facing off Jane. I'd never seen her so intensely fierce.

Corin stepped forward. "Rosalie, I just thought you should know Afton's arm is completely healed. Not a scratch. He sends his regards and hopes to see you again." There was a louder growl from our group and Emmett was crouched in front of Rosalie.

"No-one will ever touch my mate again. Or I'll personally reduce them to ashes." I watched as he glanced from one vampire to the next. Jane and Alec were smiling like the terrible twosome.

Then a cold dread filled me. It started low in my body, and started to spread upwards until it was almost choking. I wanted to scream, but I found myself on the floor sobbing. Where was the emotion coming from? I glanced around and realised it was Esme. Edward and Jasper also realised where the emotion was coming from. If I concentrated, I could hear her voice in my head. Full of doubt and worry.

"Jasper, help her," Edward said. He looked pained.

"I don't know if it will work, she has to learn to control the emotion," he replied. "Bella, look at me."

A stared into Jasper's worried eyes. "Think of something happy, anything happy. Let the emotion fill you and push aside the dread. Force the happiness out; let it spill over and into everyone around you. I'll help." He took my hand and helped me up. We both closed our eyes. He was thinking of the first time he met Alice. I thought of seeing Edward in the meadow. His skin glittering like diamonds in the sunlight. The warm air blowing against my own face...

"Let it fill you up, then let it spill out. I'll direct it." I felt myself nod and kept my eyes closed.

The happiness started from my head, and worked its way down--In the opposite way that the dread had come in. Once I was nearly bursting with the happiness, I let it leak out of the constraints of my body. I felt Jasper doing the same, but I felt him take the emotion from me and direct it towards Esme. I opened my eyes to see Esme turn towards us and smile. I smiled back.

_Bella, if you can hear me, I want you to direct some of it to Irina. Next to Esme. _

It was as if I suddenly knew how to control Jasper's power. Is that what I needed--Contact to know what to do? The emotions were like different colours of smoke, and it was a case of overriding the dark colours with the lighter colours and then forcing them back to people like blowing air away from yourself. Dread was black and happiness was yellow. I watched as the yellow smoke engulfed the black smoke around Irina.

I blinked and the emotion fell away. "You did it," Jasper said proudly.

"I did. I think that touching the person with the power helps me to learn how to control it," I added.

_My my, Aro will be pleased_. A voice cut through the low buzzing in my mind. The thought was directed at me and I knew that was the reason I could hear it without concentrating on a single person. The only problem this caused was trying to figure out who thought the thought I had been sent. It didn't take long to guess, as Felix was staring intently at me. It almost made my skin crawl.

"You know what we want. We want the girl. Give us Bella, and the rest of you go free. Simple." Corin walked forward to stand next to Demetri on the right of Felix.

"Except it isn't that simple, Corin. You may not love anyone yourself and you may not understand the implications of what you have asked, but let me tell you now, it is anything but simple," Carlisle spoke, his voice stern and authoritive.

"Animal blood makes you soft, Carlisle. I always find myself wondering why Aro finds your friendship a treasure," added Alec.

"It's a pity the friendship isn't reciprocated," Carlisle said. "If this is a treasured friendship, I'd hate to know what a relationship between enemies would entail."

"Aro has no enemies," Jane hissed. I looked at her and saw a faint stirring of something. I concentrated hard and saw the smoke surrounding her was orange. I glanced at Jasper.

"Orange?" I whispered.

"Confusion."

"Confusion?" I repeated_. Jane is confused by the thought of anyone not having loyalty to Aro. She thought she could get away from it, and she did for a short while, but now she's within the confines of Volterra and closer to Aro, the hold he has over her is stronger. I suspect Chelsea has a part to play in that. _

"Ahh." Jasper nodded.

"Aro has no enemies because he kills them before they have a chance to establish a hatred of him. He kills so his reputation is not clouded or questioned. He kills for his own selfish desires and needs. The list of enemies of the Volturi grows each day, despite the number of people who are murdered in Aro's name," Eleazar said.

"Are you declaring yourself as an enemy?" Felix asked.

"To do so would be foolish, but I am a fool," Eleazar replied.

"I always remembered you were good at insulting without seeming to do so." Felix clenched his fists.

"It was not an insult, merely a fact," Eleazar stated.

"Enough!" Jane snarled. "We did not come hear to argue frivolous topics."

"I'd hardly call them frivolous--"

"I said enough!" I concentrated and Jane's smoke seemed to be darkening to a scarlet colour. Anger. "We are going to take Bella to Aro and there are two ways we can do it. Either Bella walks away with us without the need for violence, or we will destroy you all and take Bella when you are all dead."

I remembered the vision. We had little hope. Unless Demetri was killed in the mayhem. Then again, that would still result in everyone giving their lives for me, and I found that I couldn't let that happen.

"I'm coming. There's no need for violence." The words came out of my mouth before I could even think.

Edward grabbed my arm, "Bella, don't do this."

"I have to go with them. My life or yours. It's a simple decision." I tried to walk forward, but Edward pulled me back. I could have broken his hold, but I didn't want to hurt him.

"Edward, let her go," Alice stated. She looked intently at Edward, and I concentrated to hear what she was saying. _We'll think of something, Edward. Live today, fight tomorrow. Okay? _

Finally, he nodded and let go of my arm. I felt like crying. Every time something good happened, ten bad things had to come along to erase the memory of the single moment of happiness. Whenever I finally got out of a bad situation, it came after me. Never left in peace. Always being hunted. I was supposed to be a predator now, but I was suddenly the vulnerable prey.

I made the walk painstakingly slowly. Esme hugged me and was having the same problem as Edward. She wouldn't let go. It was Carlisle who got her to release her vice-like grip on my arm. I wanted to look back at Edward, but if I did, I wouldn't be able to go. I'd get us all killed because of my sentimentality.

Kate touched me as she went past. _I'm just giving you a shock, even though you can't feel it. I hope you pick it up. The more powers you have, the better it will be._

I shook my head in disbelief but let out a small smile before it was washed away from my face. Rosalie hugged me and whispered low enough that only I would hear it, "We'll get you out of there. Keep your powers sharp."

"I will. I'll be waiting."

Then I reached the five waiting vampires who seemed much less of a threat than they had the last time I saw them. But I realised I was being a fool. The vision showed the five vampires winning, with only one dead. Jane took my arm, and Felix went to take the other, leering as he did. I felt him touch me and he suddenly let go.

"What was that?" he asked.

"You tell me." I smiled as I realised I'd unconsciously, but not involuntarily, shocked him. I'd have to thank Kate, if I got another chance to see her. Felix didn't touch me again.

And there was a reason I kept Jane's hand in my own as we walked back through the city.

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**A/N: SORRY ABOUT THAT!!!!**

**R&R!**


	29. Chapter 29 Deathly Hunger

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer! **

**Here we go. I hope it all makes sense now!**

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**Chapter 29 – Deathly Hunger**

We walked through the same dark passage I had come to recognise all too familiarly, despite my change. The darkness no longer affected me in the way that it had as a human. I could see just as well as I could in daylight. My feet seemed to move on their own accord, without conscious thought as to keeping myself balanced and upright. I felt like I was floating and in complete control of my body. It was unearthly.

At the end of the passage, the doors opened and I moved forward into the square room with four doors. This time, however, I wasn't frightened or nervous. I wondered for a moment whether this was because of my newly created vampire status, and in part, it was. Maybe I was being overly confident; a fool, but either way, it felt good to be able to walk without the feeling of being suffocated by my own fear.

Jane's thoughts weren't concealed from me because none of the Volturi guards were aware of what I was able to do yet. It only seemed to work if a talent had been used on me though. I hoped Jane would try me.

We went straight through the door ahead, and I could hear the tapping of a keyboard and the strong beating of a heart. I could hear the blood pulsing through veins, thick like molten gold. The life in the room was pounding against my senses powerfully. The scent of blood sharp and delectably swirling around me like fragrant air.

Then I spotted it. The prey I had been anticipating so heavily. I moved with lightening speed, my only purpose was to take the life waiting so patiently for me. It was like it was meant to be. I was supposed to take this life. It was mine.

Venom dripped from my mouth in rivulets, bitter and pungent. The only way to remove the taste was to take the sweet blood caressing my senses. Before I could comprehend what was happening, my mouth had locked onto the neck of my prey. My teeth as sharp as razor blades sliced through the flesh of her neck like butter and cut into the jugular vein with ease. Then the blood hit the roof of my mouth and instinctively I began to swallow the thick liquid. Never had I tasted something so...it was inexpressible.

The first swallow was the hardest. There was an agonizing burn in my throat like a fire that was eating me up from the inside out. Swallowing past that raw fire was indescribable—like putting pressure on a painful burn, but once the blood hit the allegorical fire, it eased to a dull smoulder; reducing to cinders until another lit match would come along. In this case, the matches were humans and the cinders would never fully burn out. It would be a curse to carry through my entire undead life.

"Bella, stop!" a voice said through the lustful, drug-like haze. I stopped mid swallow, but kept my lips locked over the wound I had created. The heart of my prey was beating sporadically and its strength was pushing the pulsing blood around her vessels faster. The liquid now coming thicker and faster into my mouth and dripping from my lips, cooling as it left the feverish heat of her body.

"Bella, let go slowly." I felt a pair of colder arms touch my shoulders and instantaneously I let go of the body. I turned on the threat, the rival for my fodder, and pinned him down, straddling his waist and snapping at his face like a rabid dog.

Another pair of arms pinned me from behind, these ones larger and stronger than the first pair. I pulled against my attacker in a frenzy of rage, but another pair of arms—a third pair—helped to hold me. I tried to kick my legs, but they too had now been pinned. I was seeing red-- a cloud of red surrounding my senses. I realised this was my own emotions. Rational thought started to come back to me in short bursts of pain. I could taste the coppery essence of blood on my tongue; feel the liquid drying on my face. Horror dawned on me. Not completely because of what I had done, but because I had enjoyed it. Even now the taste of blood was tantalising. What did that say about the state of my soul? That I had killed and been more concerned about enjoying it than actually taking a life? Or was it a sign that I so clearly still had a conscience, still had hope?

The bodies pinning me down stayed on me, restraining my movement and keeping me uncomfortable. I had stopped struggling.

"How did she smell it?" Jane asked no-one in particular. "Corin, how hard were you shielding us from the smell?"

"I was shielding to the maximum of my ability. I knew we might have problems, so I was being cautious." The cadence of his voice told me he was as bewildered as the rest of them.

"It seems her inbuilt shield mechanism has survived the change. Aro will be pleased."

I managed to turn my head slightly to the side and saw the body lying by the desk. Blood pooled and started to absorb into the carpet. I took in the features--Gianna. I'd killed Gianna. Oh God.

Just then, three more guards came through a set of doors, followed by Aro. He looked at the mess and clicked his fingers at the three guards. All of them descended on Gianna. Venom rose in my throat. Not because of hunger or desire—not entirely--but because I wanted to vomit.

"Get me out of here, please," I whispered and tried to swallow my remorse.

Demetri and Jane eased off my legs allowing me to stand. I expected my legs to feel stiff and awkward, but they were just the same as before, as if nothing had happened. As if I hadn't gone into a mad feeding frenzy and killed an innocent human. I gulped again, this time trying to flatten the grief that threatened to spill out and encase me like a cocoon.

I barely registered Corin and Felix still holding my arms in vices. Their muscles were tensed and ready for another nefarious episode to occur at the hands of the newborn.

"Well, Bella, what an entrance," Aro said with obvious amusement. I felt sick. He led the way through the large mahogany doors and into the large room I remembered so vividly from my human life.

The thrones sat at the front of the room. Two of them were occupied by Caius and Marcus. Marcus' expression showed disinterest—as usual—but underneath that, I could see and feel his sheer astonishment at what I had done. He thought I was good through and through, but has now come to realise I'm another weapon in Aro's armoury. I clenched my jaw to hold back my dry sobs.

Aro sat swiftly in his own throne, the throne in the centre, the throne that showed that he was the most superior, no matter what his brothers might think. I glanced around and noticed that the entire guard was here, plus the wives who were floating near the back of the thrones. They looked saintly, but the essence they held told you they were anything but angelic.

"I'd like to welcome Bella to our large and ever growing family. She has potential that has yet to be tapped into, and with her, we may just be able to do what we have been trying to do for centuries. To take over man-kind. Now is the time to mobilise our forces. Now is the time to finally show what we are." The dire words skimmed my ears and touch the rest of the vampires in a way that seemed to accentuate his phrasing. Then I looked to Corin. He was helping Aro by putting the guards into some kind of stupor.

I suddenly felt a twinge of unease in my stomach, but after a moment it passed. I looked around the room and saw Chelsea concentrating on me. She was trying to bind me to the Volturi, but by the look on her face, she wasn't having much luck. I wanted to smile, but provoking any of them wasn't in my best interests in the long run.

I thought about what had happened by the cars earlier. If someone used a power on me, the theory was that I absorbed it; and if I touched the person with that power, I could control it. Corin had used his power on me, and he was holding my arm. I brushed my fingertips along his side for an instant and felt a switch click inside me. It was like I had infra-red vision. Everyone was a black blur in this strange, secondary way of seeing.

I concentrated harder and realised that the vampires weren't black blurs, but they were covered in black mist. It seemed to consume them and cut off their senses. I turned to Corin. He was directing the mist, wrapping it around people and breathing his hallucinations into their senses. That was how it operated. Knowing how it worked also meant I knew how to reverse its effects.

It was like breathing in smoke. I had to inhale all of the smoke and swallow it back inside myself; leaving the vampires clear and unaffected. I turned to look at Felix. He wasn't covered in the fine mist, neither was Jane, Aro or Corin himself. Why only the four vampires? I dug into Corin's thoughts. Concentrated on the sound of his voice and found the information I was searching for. Felix was holding me so needed to be completely in control. Jane was also a precaution for me, and Aro was the one who had ordered Corin to use his talents in such a way.

I was about to start dragging the mist away from the bodies when it started to move backwards and attract itself to Corin. Then it simply disappeared and a sigh filled the room. I blinked and the strange vision had passed. The vampires were back to normal, and Corin was no longer expending his gift.

Now for Chelsea, I thought, but I couldn't get close to her whilst I was being restrained. I just had to hope for another chance to touch her.

"I think we should show Bella to her accommodation. Felix, Corin, Jane...and Chelsea; show her to her room." The strange amusement in Aro's voice left me unnerved, but I held my emotions in check and left the room with the four guards. Luckily, one of them was Chelsea.

The building was like a maze. The corridors were long and every few metres they spanned out into more sections. Each corridor was identical to the previous one. It seemed the perfect way to keep prisoners. They would never be able to escape if they did get out of a cell.

I tried to memorise the route, but it was difficult. I remembered the turns instead. Left, right, right, left...

Finally, we reached a corridor with wooden doors and lit torches. The doors seemed much more fragile than I expected. I thought there would be reinforced steel or something tougher.

We stopped at the third door.

"This is your room, Bella," Jane spoke in a light voice that seemed empty, her thoughts were also empty of anything of importance.

We entered the room--Felix and Corin still holding onto my arms like I was going to escape at any given chance. I wasn't so stupid. I planned to wait.

The room was the colour of coals with a canopied bed in the middle of the room. There was a dresser opposite the bed and a cabinet by the side. No windows, however, but gold metallic curtains covered one wall. What was the point?

Jane sat on the bed and fluffed up one of the pillows, then she patted the white sheet next to her. I looked at Felix and Corin and they let go of my arms. Inside my head, something was screaming, "You're free, free! Run!" But I knew I couldn't. Instead, I went against my instincts and walked painfully slowly towards the bed. The air was tense and Chelsea was stood by the door. If I went over to her now, they could think I was trying to escape, then I wouldn't be trusted. I walked over to Jane and sat down.

"I'll keep her company," Jane said to the others and told them to leave. No-one moved though.

"We are to keep her under the watch of four guards for now, Jane. Aro's orders," said Felix and he let out a small satirical grin. It made me want to crawl out of my skin.

Jane said nothing and just sat next to me--Doing nothing. I mimicked her actions, as did the other three guards. We did nothing else and I felt like screaming in frustration.

~*~

After what seemed like hours, Jane left with Felix to see if Aro had any further orders. That left me with Corin and Chelsea. Chelsea still kept her distance, as though aware that I was up to something, or maybe she thought of me like a viper, ready to attack at any sudden movement?

"You're awfully quiet," Corin said conversationally. I said nothing in response. I just stared at Chelsea.

Corin sat on the bed where Jane had been and the silence ticked on.

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**A/N: R&R!**

**Thanks for the awesome reviews last chapter!**


	30. Chapter 30 Irrationality

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer, but you knew that!**

**Sorry this took so long to get out ;)**

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**Chapter 30 – Irrationality**

"We can't just leave her there!" I said desperately to the vampires around me.

"Edward, we have no other choice right now. Do you honestly think we have a chance against the Volturi? You saw the vision in my mind. All of us died and only one of the five Volturi guards died. I don't like those odds," Alice snapped.

Deflated and desperate, I turned to Carlisle. He looked gravelly at me, his onyx-coloured eyes glistening with unshed venom.

_We'll find a hotel to stay in whilst we figure this out. Bella will need time to get used to her powers and I have every faith that she will retain her humanity, whatever the Volturi throw at her._

I listened to Carlisle's voice permeating my mind. His words were so sincere, but the thread of worry in his thoughts was apparent_. It's only natural_, I thought. Everyone _is worrying about Bella. My Bella._

The anguish I felt was like a caged animal beneath the surface of my skin, stirring and waiting to be let lose. The last time I had felt such pain was when..._No! I cannot go there!_If I was human, I knew I would let the tears in my eyes flow free—like a form of release for my pain. I didn't remember crying much as a human, but how much I missed it now! It was like one of those things that you take completely for granted until it's gone. Of course, I didn't miss many things from my human life because I didn't remember them, but being with Bella had brought all of those memories I thought I'd lost to the surface. They hadn't been lost, just stored away in a deep dark corner of the abyss of my mind. Only Bella could have brought those memories forward, brought out those human emotions like opening Pandora's Box. She was my key to humanity. I had spent so much of my undead life not living, just existing. But Bella had taught me how to live; she had given me a reason to live.

I wouldn't fail her. I would save her. We were destined to be together for all of eternity, and we would be. A few more days away from her was nothing compared to forever.

I nodded slightly in Carlisle's direction and he smiled in acknowledgement, a look I had come to recognise as pride. He had only started to show his pride in me around Bella, and it came to show me how much she had done not only for me but also my family.

The journey to the hotel was monotonous. My mind kept replaying the events of the last few days and I'd stop at certain points, like I could photograph them and put them in a keepsake box. Rosalie gaining strength, Bella waking with new found life, Tanya's sincerity...They were all things I wanted to keep.

I hadn't thought about the Denali's until then, but they were still with us, following us in the other vehicles. Their minds were racing with thoughts of Bella and then there was thoughts of Adele. I realised at that point that I had to thank her for what she had done for Bella when she was human. I also had to thank Max...although thanking a shape-shifter wasn't something I never thought I'd do. I had to get over my preconceptions though, and I would.

"We're here," Alice said as she stopped the car and turned off the engine. She didn't need to say anything, but it made her feel calmer to be able to say something so nonchalant.

The hotel was fairly large and its bricks a grainy white colour. The Denali's followed us into the building and went straight over to the desk. I sat in the reception area, holding my breath and looking around at the contemporary artwork that had been placed on the walls.

_I wonder if some of them are models?_

_Oh, he's definitely delish._

_He could have me any day..._

I quickly tuned out of the thoughts surrounding me and concentrated on my family. Tanya was flirting with one of the bar staff who was carrying a tray full of beverages through the lobby. I tensed my jaw, wondering how her thoughts could be surrounding Bella yet her actions could be so..._human_.

Carlisle eventually came over holding swipe cards. We split into three groups and headed up to the rooms.

The room I entered with Rosalie, Emmett and Alice was spacious and covered in creams and whites. I sat on the edge of the bed and hoped for time to pass me by quickly. It never did go as fast as I wanted it to..._unless I was with Bella_. Then it went too fast.

_She bent over the lifeless form in front of her, feeling the fresh blood stain her lips. Before she could drain the human completely, a set of arms grabbed her from behind, then another and another..._

"Alice?" I questioned, panic filling my mind but not my voice.

Alice's eyes became clear and she looked in my direction. "She's not in any danger, Edward."

"But she was killing someone and then—"

"She's a newborn...We've all killed people in our time Edward."

"But what if she becomes something like them? We can't leave her there to lose her humanity, so become so malicious, to—"

"Edward, she won't. And don't tell me this is completely about Bella's safety and welfare. Don't tell me some of the reason you worry about her humanity isn't for selfish purposes. I know you, you're my brother. You've always been selfish. I think the only time you haven't been was when you made us all leave...although everyone thought you were then." Alice crossed her arms in a defiant gesture, a human gesture.

I just glared at her, wishing for her to back down. I wasn't about to admit that she was right to some degree and I wasn't going to have an argument with her whilst Bella was in such danger.

"I'll look out for more visions, Edward, that's all we can hope for. But we are not going to Bella for something so minuscule in comparison to what the Volturi can do."

"Then where do we draw the line, Alice?" I asked my sister. She scowled at me before she left the room, her speed too fast for a human to capture, but I saw every movement.

"She loves Bella as much as you do, Edward, but her love for Bella is different to the love you have for her," Rosalie said quietly to my side. I turned to her. She was holding Emmett's hand tightly—like it was some sort of lifeline, like it was air to a human. Like he was her air.

"I know," I replied, feeling more defeated. I knew my head wasn't clear and I knew my anger was driving me into trying to make foolish decisions, but I just couldn't prevent it. I needed Bella safe. She had already been through so much, and even though she was now more resilient, I didn't want her to have to endure anything harmful—even if it was minor. I knew my Bella, not as well as I would have liked to, but I knew that killing a human would have harmed her mentally.

"And she's not as weak as you think she is, Edward. She's stubborn and strong when she wants to be. She won't let anything harm her, not now, not ever."

I let Rosalie's words run through my mind. She was right. I knew she was right. I nodded slightly and turned my attention to the thoughts coming from the other rooms.

Alice had now joined Jasper, Carlisle, Esme and Tanya in one of the other rooms. She was sobbing in Jasper's lap as he directed waves of calm at her and talked to her soothingly. Her thoughts were of Bella and although she had told me that Bella was okay so far, she was going over it again and again in her own mind. Her strength had broken after she let out some truths and she was now in the best place she could be...with Jasper.

Couples seemed to be surrounding me, getting me to think more about Bella, getting me to feel more desperate without her. I ran my hands forcefully through my hair and stood up. I left the room before Rosalie or Emmett could say anything and I moved silently down the corridor. I took the stairs down to the lobby and looked out of the clear window and out into the night.

There were a few stars littering the sky and I remembered immediately what Bella had told me about the night and the stars. I had always thought of humans as being single-minded and unintelligent and unable to see through things clearly, but Bella had taught me otherwise. It wasn't necessarily a person's surface thoughts that determined who they were and how far their brain processes and complete thoughts went, and it was somewhat refreshing to realise that.

I looked to those stars as a sign. A sign that told me I had to be with Bella. I knew this already, but looking out into the darkness, it only confirmed my plans.

I heard the voices of my family on the first floor. Rosalie was adamant that I was now trying to rescue Bella and Carlisle was trying to reassure her that I wouldn't be so stupid. I shook my head, feeling slightly guilty about what I was going to do and how I was going to break the trust Carlisle held in me.

I stepped outside into the night. The cold air meant nothing to me and I started to run. The wind forced its way past me as though it was trying to drag me back, as though what I was doing was a bad idea. I knew that already, but love didn't always speak and act from common sense.

When I reached the familiar cobbled streets, I tensed. My senses were sharp and I listened for any nearby thoughts. There were none as I crept into a darkened alley and kept to the shadows. They weren't going to stop any vampires from seeing me, but they might make it harder for them to draw their attention to me. I was being reckless, but I could be safe in some respects of my reckless behaviour.

After a few more moments, I found a voice. It belonged to Jane and it seemed to be coming from above. I listened more meticulously to her words.

"I'll keep her company," Jane said and I realised she was with Bella in one of the rooms in the building above.

"We are to keep her under the watch of four guards for now, Jane. Aro's orders," said Felix, his vile voice making me let out a bass growl.

I stopped and looked around, hoping that I hadn't alerted anyone's attention. No-one came into view but I knew I had to get moving. I had to get into the building and find Bella, and then I had to get her out.

It seemed like it was going to be mission impossible...but I hoped that it wouldn't be.

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**A/N: R&R!**

**Oh, and before I forget...**

**If you haven't heard of the Support Stacie auction then you should probably go and shoot yourself in the foot. There's some amazing Twilight authors there (Jandco, WTVOC, bethaboo, americnxidiot, ANGSTGODDESS003) who are signed up and would love for you to bid on their lovely work ;D Oh, and xparawhorextwerdx is also doing it and would love some support over there! [yes, I like to promote other people. Especially amazing people]**

**Check her profile for details!**


	31. Chapter 31 Trapped

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer, but you all knew that :D**

**Thanks for the reviews last chapter, you all deserve cookies and much more. I'd promise my first born, but Ciara already has dibs.**

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**Chapter 31 – Trapped**

_Edward surrounded by guards. Struggling against their grasp as he was dragged into a darkened room.._.

My eyes snapped open and I realised I was still in the room with Corin and Chelsea. Chelsea was still lingering by the door and hadn't noticed any change in me. I was glad my heart was no longer beating, or they would have detected the panic that was building inside of me, and I was glad that they had no empathic talents or they would have felt the rage growing like rapid fire in my mind. If I didn't do something now, Edward would be in trouble, and I couldn't let that happen. If he was inside the building it was because of me and therefore it was up to me to get him out.

I glanced to Corin who was off guard and I knew that this would be my only chance. Two guards I could handle, but I wasn't sure if I had a chance against four. Not without them all being alerted to my powers and even then, I wasn't so sure I could take them all.

At that point, it was my only option. They had inklings of the talents I possessed and that meant that they would learn more sooner rather than later. I took a deep breath of air—although my body no longer needed it—and I felt for that part inside of me that would open up to Jane's ability.

It was like a heated haze in my mind, fiery and scorching but somehow out of reach of my senses. I jerked my head to the side and aimed the invisible flames at Corin. For a moment, nothing happened, but then he fell to the ground. His body went into spasms and he screamed in pain, as if something really was burning him alive. I rose off the bed and turned to Chelsea with a wicked smile.

For a moment, she hesitated, as if going against me was going to be in her worst interests. I had a new sense of confidence that some might refer to as arrogance, but I knew I had the right to feel secure in myself. If I could drop Corin so easily, I would have no problems with Chelsea.

Her blonde hair whipped in a blur around me and her fist connected with my jaw, sending my body back into one of the rough walls. If I was human, I would have been dead before my body began to move through the air, but being a vampire, it did nothing to me. My skin was as hard as granite and everything within stronger than iron. I was in a crouch as soon as I heard the deafening crash as my back connected with concrete, but either way, it was too late.

Corin and Chelsea were Volturi Guards and had centuries of combat training behind them. I only had my instincts and my overwhelming newborn strength.

"You can't fight and maintain mind control over one of us, it doesn't work like that. Jane can only concentrate on one person at a time and she has been practicing for years. Make this easy on yourself and give up now. You're just a baby to this world," Chelsea said and I felt a growl reverberate inside me.

"Corin, she's a feisty one, better not let Felix know." Chelsea then let out a throaty laugh.

Anger built up inside me, but I tried to keep myself together. Going at them blindly was going to get me killed and I didn't want that. MY only means of escape seemed to be by using mind power on them and although Chelsea had said Jane could only control one person at a time, I had confidence that I would be able to control both of them.

I forced myself to concentrate on Corin first, and when he fell to the ground, Chelsea sprung. I kept my concentration on Corin and braced myself for Chelsea, but she never hit me. She landed on the floor in a tangle of limbs as she screamed in pain. Invisible fire was eating up her mind.

_I did it_, I thought, _I really did it_.

My momentary triumph was crushed when another figure stepped into the room. _Jane_. I crouched defensively and watched her glide into the room with overwhelming grace. She stopped beside the two struggling forms and a wry grin upturned her lips.

"Bella, we must hurry. There's only so much time we can keep them under control like this," she said and held out her hand.

I looked at her and a number of emotions ran through my mind. Confusion, _why was she helping me?_ Deflation, _I only controlled one of them_. Anger, _she ratted me out to the Volturi_...But then I looked at her, really looked at her.

Everything she had done was for a reason. She was _sick_of being a weapon for Aro; she was _tired _of the monotony of her life. She wanted a new start and she saw _me_ as that new start. Her thoughts only confirmed this. I took her hand.

The commotion hadn't alerted any other guards and the corridors were completely clear. We ran with blinding speed through the passages and I felt euphoric. Running so fast shouldn't have made me feel so free, so exhilarated—but it did. A thought of my human life passed through my mind as I remembered the first time I had travelled so fast and I had been on Edward's back as he ran through the forest. Then it was scary and I was full of panic, and when he let me down I felt dizzy and nauseous. Now, it was completely different. Maybe it was because I was in the driving seat?

I didn't know where we were running and I stopped. The dark corridors felt eerie and cold and I turned to Jane. Maybe I was being foolish following her?

"Jane, where are we going?" I asked her.

"Getting out of here. There's an exit up ahead and then we can get away—"

"I'm not going anywhere," I said suddenly. She looked at me as though I had a few screws loose.

"Why not?" she asked after a millisecond.

"Edward is here, I need to get him out. You can go on without me, but I'm not leaving without him." I crossed my arms in a very human gesture.

Jane looked back down the corridor in the direction we had come, and then she looked ahead, deliberating. Finally, her burgundy orbs met mine and she nodded.

"We'll both go back for him then." I smiled then. A radiant smile that I didn't know I could produce. We ran back down the corridor in the direction we had come from, our feet making no noise as we ran. I felt as though I was a ghost as we moved. Any human wouldn't know if I was creeping up behind them on a dark night—

_No!_ I stopped the thought and swallowed back venom. I wasn't a killer. I would fight it.

Jane stopped outside a cell and I wondered how she knew which one to go to, but then the voices came through, mingled with the scent of several vampires. I picked out Edward's and my heart nearly started beating again.

"Where is she?" his voice pleaded frantically. I clenched my fists until my sharp nails sliced into my skin.

"Safe, which is more than I can say for you, Edward," Aro stated in amusement. I took a step forward and Jane grabbed my wrist and mouthed "Don't."

I closed my eyes and stepped back, out of the direct sight of the door.

"Go and find Jane for me, Alec. I think your sister would entertain our Edward here."

"Quick, they're coming out," Jane said and pulled me down another corridor. The place was like a maze and I was thankful I had Jane to guide me.

We ran until we reached the end of a corridor. There was nothing but brick surrounding us.

"Keep still and quiet, we'll wait them out." Waiting out vampires didn't sound like a good idea, but I said nothing in response.

Footsteps echoed down the narrow corridor like drum beats and they filled me with confusion. Vampires didn't make so much noise when they walked, and I doubted there would be any stray humans walking about inside the walls. And if it was a human, I would have smelled their blood and heard the pounding of their heart..._focus_.

The footsteps got louder until they were mere metres away and the figure emerged from the darkness.

"Marcus?" Jane questioned. He bowed his head in an acknowledging gesture that Jane reciprocated.

"And what, may I ask, are you doing down here with our young Bella?" he said in an authoritive tone.

Jane remained silent and I said nothing. Marcus was wearing his disinterested mask and his presence seemed to pervade the air around me with warning.

"I suggest that Bella is returned to her room, Jane. You would not want to anger Aro or Caius."

"We are going to leave, Caius, surely you understand? You'll let us go because you know it's the right thing to do. You and Didyme were—"

"We were inseparable, Jane. We tried to defy Aro and look at what happened to us. I speak from experience if nothing else when I tell you to obey him. I speak out of spite when I tell you not to leave. I understand all too perfectly the situation young Bella and her beloved are in and as much as I feel pity for you both, I cannot do anything and I will not do anything about it." Marcus turned on his heel and walked back down the corridor, this time, making no noise as he went.

"Stupid, unreliable vampires," I muttered under my breath.

"For once I agree with you, Bella," Jane remarked. "We better get moving because Marcus will tell the others where we are."

"What was all of that about Didyme?" I asked.

"Another time." I hurried after Jane down the corridor.

We came to the central part that I recalled. It was like a small square with corridors leading from it. Everything was deathly quiet and although it hadn't bothered me before, it bothered me now. Surely there should be muttering voices or something that my ears could recognise? There was nothing.

"Bella, put your back to mine," Jane snapped suddenly. I moved suddenly and then I saw the figures emerging from all corners.

They stood around us like a circle of bricks, although they were more lethal to me than bits of stone or concrete. Panic flared to life inside of me and I crouched, keeping my back to Jane's. My eyes flitted across the vampires on my half, and most of them were unrecognisable to me. In some respects, that made me calmer. If I was faced with Demetri or Felix, then I'd be worried.

A snarl ripped its way out of my throat and venom dripped from my teeth.

"Get your pet under control, Jane," the tones of Felix's voice filled my mind. My eyes itched to turn to face him and my finger ached to claw out his eyes.

"I should have known you would have become attached with the human, only you Jane, only you," Demetri added and I felt Jane tense behind me.

"I'm not human anymore," I said between clenched teeth, knowing that they had meant to insult Jane.

Felix walked around the circle until he was face-to-face with me. He smiled and brought his arm up in front of me. I slapped it away from my face, causing him to stagger with the force and when he turned back to me, I gave him the most malicious look I could muster.

"Well, Corin, it looks like you were right. I'd have fun with this one." I snarled again and realised Jane was faced with more than her fair share of inner circle Volturi guards. It made me wonder if I should feel insulted that they thought Jane was the bigger threat, but I kept my thoughts to myself.

Felix stepped away until he was out of my sight and the air around my swirled with tension.

"Jane, any ideas?" I muttered as I glanced over the vampires in front of me, sizing them up and looking for the biggest threat.

"Bella, we're trapped," she said without inflection, but I could sense her panic as if it was my own, and maybe partly, it was.

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**A/N: To quote a good friend: OH MY!**

**What's Jane up to? Is she up to anything? What the hell is going on?**

**Review and I'll see if I can give out any hints...**


	32. Chapter 32 Uncertainty

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer!!!!**

**Thanks for the brilliant reviews last chapter. This chapter is dedicated to xparawhorextwerdx because she's currently on a writing ban ;(**

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**Chapter 32 – Uncertainty**

The air around me grew cold with something other than temperature. The deadness of the surrounding area was something that caused me to tense. I could hear no voices and that led me to believe that no-one was around. My instincts were telling me otherwise though and when I finally caught the sound of a thought, it was too late.

"Edward," said Felix without inflection. I tensed, ready for a fight. But then three others came out of the shadows in dark cloaks. Demetri, Afton and Santiago.

"I see the arm is healed," I said to Afton in a provoking manner.

"Has no-one ever taught you, Edward? Never provoke the Volturi," Afton said with a callous grin.

"I've heard that before," I retorted. Anger was all I could think about, and Bella.

Afton stepped forward, and I crouched immediately, ready for his attack. His thoughts were easily penetrated and I was confident that I'd be able to rip off both his arms this time before anyone intervened.

"That is enough, both of you. We have business to attend to. Edward, if you would like to follow us inside..."

I knew Felix wasn't asking me, he was telling me. I had no choice but to go into the building and really, isn't that what I was planning to do anyway? Of course, I planned to go in undetected, but I should have realised that would be impossible.

We walked through an unfamiliar corridor but I knew the destination. The large open room where Aro and his brothers were residing. We passed the empty reception desk hastily and I had a moment to wonder where Gianna was before the doors in front were opened.

Felix went into the room alone and his thoughts could be heard easily as he passed the information of my arrival onto Aro. Aro stepped away from Marcus and Caius and followed Felix out of the room.

"Where is Alec?" he asked his guards.

"He was wandering around near the cells, Master," said Afton with a bow.

"Perfect," was Aro's reply, his voice jubilant. He offered his hand to me, and I knew I had no choice. We walked through the corridors as he read off my thoughts since the last time we had had contact and occasionally he would mutter a slight remark such as "Fascinating" or "Brilliant."

When we came to the cell Alec was standing beside, Aro opened the door and stepped inside. He turned to Alec with a slight nod and all of my conscious thought seemed to slip away. It wasn't the same blackness Corin caused, but it was more like I was floating above everything and not quite a part of it.

"_Sit him down over there. Who's with Bella?" Aro asked demandingly, his amused front beginning to waver under his anger._

"_Corin and Chelsea, Master. Jane and I were with her but Jane went to report to you and I caught the sound of our intruder," Felix replied hastily._

"_But Jane didn't return to me or Bella?"_

"_Not that I know of, Master," Felix bowed and stepped slightly out of Aro's immediate reach._

"_How...fascinating. Truly," replied Aro and he turned back to Alec._

In an instant, the cloud suppressing my emotions and thoughts withdrew and I found myself bombarded by sensory sensations. After what seemed like an era, my gaze became focused and rested on Aro.

"I didn't realise how weak being sustained on only animal blood makes you. I used to think that Carlisle was going through an odd phase, but seemingly, it is a lifestyle choice to him. A very odd lifestyle choice that shouldn't exist. But don't worry about that now, Edward. You coming to us before any of your other vampires has inadvertently saved you from their fate. We will have you back to the vampire you are supposed to be soon and then you will realise how wrong you were to follow Carlisle blindly as you have been doing."

"It was my choice," I replied through clenched teeth.

"We will see how long you remain so pure with torture then, shall we? It's a shame that we have to do this, truly. I like you Edward and it pains me...Or it would, if I had a heart."

Aro let out a blood curdling laugh that wrapped around my senses. I ignored the cadence of his voice and concentrated on my strength. I may have seemed weak to him, but drinking only animal blood and having to resist the call of my singer's blood for over a year made me stronger—not physically but emotionally. My will power would get me through whatever Aro could throw at me and I would be with my love once again.

"I think Bella will take to this life effortlessly, however. You should have seen what she did earlier! I was almost proud!" Aro clapped his hands together.

"Where is she?" I pleaded, hoping that my Bella was unharmed.

"Safe, which is more than I can say for you, Edward," Aro stated in amusement. His statement filled me with relief. Despite reading through all of my thoughts and seeing the amount of love I held for Bella, he still didn't realise that as long as I knew Bella was alright, then I would be. He could burn me to ashes and I wouldn't care, as long as Bella was safe.

Aro turned to Alec again.

"Go and find Jane for me, Alec. I think your sister would entertain our Edward here." I knew what he meant by that and I caught a glimpse of Afton in the corner, his grin widening his thin lips as he looked at me with amusement. I smiled back, causing him to frown in confusion.

Alec bowed and left the room, leaving me in the cell surrounded by five other vampires.

As soon as the room fell quiet, footsteps could be heard running up the corridor, as if frantically. The cell door was forced open and Chelsea ran in. Her face was contorted in rage and shock filled her eyes.

"Master Aro, Jane and Bella have escaped." I didn't gauge Aro's reaction because I was too elated to think of anything else...and slightly confused.

Jane had given Bella to the Volturi and therefore it was Jane's fault that Bella was now a vampire. Why would she help Bella escape? But as long as Bella had escaped and wasn't caught, it didn't bother me.

Aro turned to me and for the first time, I saw the anger in his foul eyes. His look was one of pure venom.

"Chelsea and Afton, go and tell Marcus and Caius for me. Demetri, I want you to track our Jane and young Bella, although I believe you may have problems trying to trace Bella, so track Jane. Santiago and Felix, you will remain here. If Edward tries to escape, you have my permission to use whatever force necessary to keep him here."

I knew the last sentence was aimed at me as a threat, but it didn't matter. I was more concerned with Bella and her predicament to worry about mine.

Aro walked to the door and turned back a last time. "Oh, and if Edward is harmed through no fault of his own...the consequences will be fatal."

With his parting message, he left the room.

A few moments later, Chelsea came back, obviously looking for Aro. It made me want to laugh at the panic and chaos that had been caused.

"Do you know where Aro is? I think we've found Bella," she said shortly.

Felix swore under his breath. "I really wanted to be a part of this, I hate babysitting," he remarked.

"Then come with me," Chelsea said. Felix turned back to Santiago, weighing up the odds of staying and going. He turned to me after making his decision. "If you move even an inch, I'll make sure Bella deals with the consequences. There are at least ten of us out looking for her, and it would be such a shame if she got hurt because of something that was a fault of yours." A growl rumbled through my chest and Felix hissed in response.

"Aro won't be pleased with this, Felix," Santiago said.

"He would rather lose Edward than Bella. If Edward escapes, we can always find him again, but Bella is an abnormality. Aro would make the same decision."

"Let's hope he does," was Santiago's reply and Felix gave him a slight bow before leaving the room with Chelsea.

"You heard him. Move an inch and Bella's going to pay the consequences." Fear leaked into his thoughts.

"I heard that before the words were out of his mouth," I retorted, feeling a lot more at ease with only one vampire guarding me.

I had to get out of the room before any more vampires joined him.

In a blur, I raced for the door. Santiago knocked me sideways into the stone floor, trying to keep me pinned against the ground. He was strong for a vampire, and trained, but that didn't give him the edge over my mind-reading. I forced him off me and knew his moves before he made them, I was always one step ahead in this dance and I managed to force him into the wall. I then ran for the door, trusting my speed to be better than his and suddenly, I was in the corridor.

Noises were coming from further down one of the passages. I ran as fast as I could towards the voices, recognising the cadence of Bella's voice amongst the din. If my heart was beating, it would have quickened at the sound. My determination to get to her grew fiercer than it had been, especially when I heard the vile thoughts running through Felix's mind and the thoughts of the other vampires surrounding her. The thoughts were also unsure. The Volturi guards were used to killing vampires and people who betrayed them or tried to escape, but for them, Bella and Jane were somehow different.

Jane had always been Aro's most prized possession, and most of the vampires were unsure what Aro would do if he knew she was dead—even if she had deceived him and tried to foil his plans. And Bella was to be taken back to Aro unharmed.

The uncertainty filled me with hope. It made me believe that the hesitation they were having might save Bella's—and my—life. Then there was Jane. My thoughts were moving around my mind a thousand miles a second and Jane's thoughts were mingled with them.

She wanted to leave the confines of the walls surrounding her, she wanted a new life and she wanted Bella to show her how to live outside the Volturi regime. Her thoughts couldn't lie, and that made me feel more sympathy towards her, even though most of my concerns were for Bella and myself. If I had the chance, I would try and help her.

The sight in front of me stopped me in my tracks. I couldn't see Bella or Jane through the wall of vampires. Strangely, time seemed to slow as Felix crouched and sprang for Bella.

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**A/N: Let me know what you think ;)**

**We are nearly to the end of the journey that has been Center Stage.**


	33. Chapter 33 Chaos and Tranquility

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to STEPHENIE MEYER!**

**Sorry this took so long. x x x x**

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**Chapter 33 – Chaos and Tranquillity**

"No!" shouted a voice I knew all too well. The voice of an angel, a voice that could penetrate my soul and make my undead heart beat. _Edward_.

Felix was suddenly on me, forcing my face into the ground as I struggled against him. More vampires helped to restrain me and I could see Jane off to one corner fighting three vampires. She was struggling to hold them off.

Rage boiled throughout me like a rapidly growing bushfire. It penetrated every pore and power seemed to flush under my skin like crawling hands. I could feel it spread outwards, encasing me in its warmth and although I had no idea what was happening, I wasn't frightened. It was like an enormous adrenaline rush, but much better.

The vampires were still pinning my limbs, but a voice inside told me that it would be easy to remove them now. It told me that there strength was nothing in comparison to mine. Call me crazy, but I believed it.

I pushed against the hold of the vampires that were piled on top of me, but I couldn't shift them. They were too strong physically. Then it hit me. They were stronger physically, but maybe not metaphysically.

Electricity surged down my body like a speeding bullet before it covered my skin. I could feel the tingling sensation but not the shocks. I wondered if it had worked, but the retreating vampires told me all I needed to know, it had.

No-one was on my back now and I felt as light as a feather as I stood up. For the first time, I felt as though I actually had a chance at defeating the Volturi. It made me laugh out loud; the cadence of my voice seemed to echo throughout the walls joyously.

"Bella, I'd stop that if I were you," said Aro as he stepped towards me. I scowled at his confident face. He shouldn't have been confident; I had forced the elite of his guard to retreat. There was nothing he or anyone else could do to me.

To me. I gasped as I became aware of the situation. How could I have forgotten that I had Jane and Edward in my presence? The power surge had left me thinking of nothing but my abilities, but strength—whether it was physical or metaphysical—wasn't the end all in a battle. I hadn't thought of strategy, but Aro certainly had.

Edward was stood to one side, his eyes were glazed over as if he couldn't see what was happening around him, as though he was seeing something else. Corin. Corin was controlling him.

Then there was Santiago and Afton stood beside him, waiting for the order they hoped Aro would give. Looking into Afton's thoughts, I could see that he was anticipating Edward's suffering more than anything. A growl escaped my throat.

"Ah, so you've grasped the situation," Aro stated. His voice held amusement but there was also a ferocity to it that I hadn't noticed before.

"What do you want, Aro?" I asked with venom. My hands were in tight, tense fists.

"I want you to treat me with respect, I want you to accept what you will become, and I want you to kill for me." I shook my head unbelievingly but glanced to Edward again.

"If I agree, what will happen to Edward?" I asked, realising my defeat.

"Edward will be unharmed and given the choice to stay and join us or to leave and return to the Cullens." Aro let a wry grin spread across his mouth. He was up to something, but I didn't know what that something was. Yet.

I was about to agree, until I remembered Jane.

"And what about Jane?"

"Jane is of no concern to you," Aro said nonchalantly. "Jane disobeyed her master's orders and will be punished as I see fit."

"I can't let you harm her," I retorted suddenly.

Aro took a step closer to me. "You are not the authoritive figure here, Bella, and you will keep your tongue under control unless you want Edward to die!" His voice had risen above a talking level.

Thoughts whirled through my mind, fused with panic and helplessness. Of course I didn't want Edward to die, who did he think I was? I would sacrifice myself if it meant Edward would never have to see Aro's face again, but that wasn't going to happen, not in reality, anyway.

But maybe there was something else? What if Aro did kill Edward? There would be nothing left to deter me from escaping...

I never did get the chance to start negotiating because a dark cloud descended over my senses until it started to force me into a black abyss. Strangely, I kept calm whilst this happened and I let it drag itself over me until I felt it push away. It spread throughout the corridor like invisible wind and it choked every vampires senses. My own senses cleared and I found myself looking at a room full of vampires that seemed to be in a zombie-like state.

Y eyes glanced across the faces of the vampires until I reached Alec, who was struggling against its hold. I was using Alec's power.

"Alec," I said and I felt his concentration turn to me before even his gaze did.

"What have you done?" he said, panic flaring in his voice.

"I'm not sure," I replied, but I knew how I would gain complete control over it—by touching Alec once more.

I walked over to him, the movements seemed painfully slow. His eyes widened and I could almost taste his own terror on my tongue. It was a nice feeling, like the feeling gained whilst draining the life out of a...I let the thought trail away. I had enough problems to deal with without bringing my vampiric nature into things.

My hand brushed his arm momentarily, the movement almost unseen. I then turned back to the group of comatosed vampires surrounding me. I had to somehow release Jane and Edward from that state.

I walked over to Edward first and sifted my way through the cloud of smoke. I kissed his lips. It wasn't the way I wanted a kiss between us to be because there was nothing in it. I merely drew the blackness from his senses and embedded it deep within myself. I could see the recognition return to his eyes before his lips curved into a grin.

"Thank you," he said shortly and I could see the sincerity of his words in his eyes.

"Bella, Edward, I think we should get going," the sound of a familiar voice startled me.

It was Jane. She was completely fine, stood next to her brother, Alec.

"Bella, get behind me," said Edward sternly. I almost laughed.

"I should say that to you, unless you think you can take me on?" He stepped back and took my hand into his.

"You're deflating my ego, Bella," he said.

"Good," I replied and stepped forward. I cocked my head to the side to look at Alec. He looked at me sheepishly.

"They were going to kill my sister and as much as I don't believe what she's done, I'll stick by her decision."

"But what Jane wants is not what you want," Edward said behind me.

"No, it isn't."

"Alec?" Jane interrupted, turning to her brother. "You mean you're not coming with us?"

"I can't, this is my home and I don't want anything else."

I could almost see the pain in Jane, but she hid it well. If I could have cried, a few tears would have escaped my eyelids. But then again, the situation seemed too strange for words. It was like we were in a movie. Alec had inadvertently saved us, and now he was letting us escape. I didn't want to think of the punishment Aro would give to him for doing such a thing.

Jane hugged her brother tightly and then turned back to me and Edward. Her emotions were now under control, as though she could change them at the flick of a switch. I felt wholly jealous.

"Good luck," Alec shouted as we ran down the corridor on our escape. We didn't know how much time we would have before every vampire was chasing us, but we weren't taking the chance of waiting.

Jane guided us through the corridors until we reached the square room with the sickly decor. We ran out through the sewer tunnels until we came to a man hole. I climbed out after Jane and then Edward came out after us. I grabbed his solid hand and we ran through the midnight square. If we weren't in danger, it may have been romantic, but as it stood, it wasn't.

Every alleyway was covered in inky blackness and the only lights were the ones that surrounded the fountain. The water looked luminous and the moon could be seen on its surface.

Jane stopped suddenly and she put her arm out. Edward stopped and let out a short chuckle that was barely audible even to my ears. Figures emerged from the shadows and I tensed, but Edward seemed completely at ease.

"I told you we didn't need to go inside, bunch of stressing idiots." Alice!

I ran forward until I was embracing the small vampire. I could feel the others around us, watching like spectators of a show. I looked up and smiled at them. Rosalie, Carlisle and Esme were surrounding Edward.

"I hate to break this up but I don't think it's safe yet," Jane said behind me. I agreed with her.

We all ran towards the parked cars and climbed in as if our lives depended on it, and they did. It felt strange to finally feel like I was going home to Forks. It had been so long.

~*~

"But don't you think it's dangerous?" asked Eleazar when we reached the airport.

"The Volturi would be fools to come after Bella now," Alice retorted after hearing the whole story and seeing clips in her visions.

"Aro likes to take revenge almost as much as he likes to collect his gifts." The thought made me want to shiver, but I didn't let it show.

"He can come to Forks and try to take me. We'll see how he fares against me. The way I see it, Eleazar, is that he is the fool if he tries to take me or any of my family away. I think I'd be just as good on revenge, if not better." I let all the anger and resentment I felt towards Aro fill my eyes and I then gave Eleazar a wicked grin.

"Bella, I wouldn't do that in front of the humans if I were you, you'd scare them to death," Edward added after a moment.

I looked around at the humans sat on plastic chairs and waiting in queues. They didn't seem to bother me now. It wasn't because I had suddenly gained the ability to control myself, far from it. But in the car, Carlisle had suggested that I cloud myself with Corin's gift, the way he had done with Edward and Rosalie, but not to such a degree. It certainly helped me not smell the enticing scent of blood that surrounded me. I was also holding Edward's and Jane's hand as a sign of support and also out of love.

I was confident that Jane had no ulterior motives, but some of the others weren't so sure. They kept their distance, and I couldn't blame them. I hoped that they would come to accept her in the future, and I still felt that she owed me a hell of a lot of explanations for her actions.

"Are you ready?" Edward whispered into my left ear. I nodded. It was time to go home.

"Home sweet home," I said as we trailed the sixteen other vampires towards the jet.

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**A/N: READ&REVIEW!**

**The next chapter will be the last of Center Stage!!!!!!**


	34. Epilogue: Another Bad Turn

**Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to...who was it again? OH! STEPHENIE MEYER!!!!**

**Sorry I took so long getting this out ;(**

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**Chapter 34 – Epilogue – Another Bad Turn**

A month had passed before we heard any sign of the Volturi. Aro had sent a letter addressed to me, and after I read it, I let the rest of the Cullens look at it.

_Dearest Bella,_

_I'm sorry that your short visit was unwelcoming and I'm sorry that it became such a catastrophe. I send you my deepest apologies. However, if you ever find your current lifestyle choice is not for you, there will always be a place here for you._

_Regards,_

_Aro Volturi_

Of course, none of us believed him. We were now just waiting for his next big plot to destroy us. But I had more pressing issues.

I was engaged to Edward and although Alice wanted to plan the wedding, I had refused to let her. She was, however, designing the bridesmaids' dresses. It was Esme and Renee who were organising the wedding, and it also gave my mother and Phil the chance to meet the future in-laws.

That brings me on to Charlie. When I returned he didn't half kick up a fuss. He grounded me but found it difficult to contain me as I could now jump out of my window every night and run to the Cullens' house. He also saw that there was a change in me, but I put it down to my 'holiday' in Italy with Edward and his family and Alice helped me with my 'human-looking' make-up every morning before Charlie woke up.

Of course, I wouldn't have to keep up the charade once I married Edward. We were planning to start college in the fall and he had purchased a place for us to stay.

Jane had gone to stay with the Denali's up in Alaska. There were less people and it gave her the time to learn how to become 'vegetarian'. My own first experience was quiet something. Edward thought I gave the animals a too easy death, whatever that meant. Sometimes, though, I did like to give chase, and I was hopeless at it. Ah well, you have to stick to what you're good at.

Emmett liked to come along on those occasions, just to laugh at the "Ass-kicking vampire fail at hunting". I think it was last week's highlight, which made me wonder if Rosalie was putting him through a dry spell.

Now that I was home, I had longer to think about all the events that had occurred since I moved to Forks and although most of my memories were blurry, some of them stuck out like creased pages in my already growing book. One of those creases belonged to Jacob Black. I hadn't seen him since I chose Edward over him. The only news I had now was that he had left La Push and gone off on his own. Billy was sure he would come back, and I hoped he would too. Edward called himself selfish, but I knew I was much more self-centred than he was at times and wanting Jacob to come back and be my friend after everything I had done to him seemed to qualify as one of those times.

Adele is still a firm friend and my human memories of her are like bright stars that are almost as prominent as those I have of Edward, and I realise now that that is because of what we went through together. The situation had caused our friendship bonds to form deeper than would be expected in such a short length of time. After what had happened with her and Max, they realised that their love for each other was deeper than even they knew, and now they are trying for a baby.

~*~

I was sat in the kitchen of the Cullens house, listening to the talking and taking in the warmth that seemed to be spreading around the house when the phone rang. I was answering it before I even had to think to move.

"Bella Swan speaking, at the Cullens residence," I said in a polite tone. I wasn't concerned with rumours being spread around at Forks High about me and Edward. They could spread all they liked, I was only concerned with what was really happening.

"I was hoping it would be you who answered," the deep voice said, and immediately I felt something curl inside my stomach, like a raging beast waiting for its moment.

"Felix," I hissed under my breath, feeling the venom rise in my throat like bile.

He breathed heavily down the phone, although he didn't even need to breath. I thought this was his way of causing me irritation and ire without him even being in the same room as me.

"I have something that might belong to you," he said, and if my heart was beating, it would have stopped.

My immediate thoughts ran to Charlie, but I knew he was fine. Esme and Alice were with him, they had gone to get him measured for the wedding, and he grudgingly went with them. Then I thought of Renee and Phil, who were miles away. Had Felix somehow found out where they were and kidnapped them? A growl elicited itself from deep inside my chest. I could already hear Edward coming down the stairs and Emmett and Rosalie enter the room.

"And what have you done with them?" I asked and clenched my teeth together so the anger I felt wouldn't flare out to everyone else who was now in the room.

"Them? I only have one person, not the whole pack."

_Pack_. It sent alarm bells ringing in my mind and my breathing hitched as an involuntary reaction. There was only one person I could think of that Felix had with him now. _Jacob_.

"If you touch him—"

"You're not in the position to make threats, Bella. Whilst I have Jacob Black, I think I will be in control of the situation, and I will call the shots." He had confirmed my thoughts, he did have Jacob. I growled again, more menacing this time.

"If he dies, I will kill you," I said, slowly and painfully, letting all of my hatred seep into my voice.

"I'm aware of that," he said. "But I think you would rather he live than die, would you not?"

"Yes," I whispered this time, feeling the anguish spread over me like an icy wave. I didn't expect myself to have such human emotions, not now that I was a vampire and certainly not over Jacob, who was now supposed to be a distant memory that didn't belong to me. That was what I was supposed to see my human life as, a memory. Choosing to live as a Cullen, however, and pretending to be human, had made me integrate into the human world, and therefore my human memories were to remain a part of me.

"Then you will listen very carefully."

His words sunk into my mind and were permanently etched into my memories. He wasn't working for Aro, as he had stated himself, but that didn't mean he had no one on his side. If he could betray Aro, then many others could too.

I felt Edward place his hand on my shoulder, and that one gentle touch calmed me like no one else would have been able to. It was useful at times, but right now I wanted to feel angry, so I refused to let myself look into his liquid topaz gaze. I did, however, wrap his arms around me and I breathed in his sweet scent as I wondered what I was going to do.

I realised now that every good turn was quickly followed by a bad one. It was as inevitable as the end of the day and the return of the night. But I knew we could turn this around because although the bad times were tough, just knowing that there could be light around the corner spurred me on to fight. And only by fighting for those I loved and for myself would I ever get out of the treacherous waters and into the shallow, peaceful ripples.

Felix thought he would have me where he wanted me, but he wouldn't. Aro thought he had had me on the stage of theatre, but he didn't. The only person that could control me was me and now I was going to prove that. This time, I couldn't just be on display like a delicate doll, this time I would be Center Stage and in control.

_The end...for now..._

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**A/N: If you have any questions about what has happened in ANY of this story, don't hesitate to ask. Also, if your questions involve Jane, I'll answer them. Jane seems complex but when you know her reasons, you'll see it all as a simple concept.**

**Thank you for following this story with me. I've loved every minute of it.**

**Here's to hoping the sequel is just as good (if not better).**

**Teaser from le sequel:**

~His pale hand reached out to mine and like magnets, our fingers were drawn to one another. But this time was unlike so many other times we had reached for each other. This time there was a sense of urgency to it. Time seemed to slow down and with this; the knowledge that I would be too late washed over me and stunned my senses. I felt a weight press down on me, and instinct took over as I ripped into the granite flesh of the vampire above me, but when I turned back, Edward was gone.~


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